The rapid increase in digital storefronts and online platforms in recent years has led to a rise in demand for graphic designers who specialize in creating engaging websites. Businesses across various sectors and industries rely on graphic design work for marketing and advertising campaigns. Unfortunately, this increase in the need for graphic designers also means deteriorating eye health for many professionals working remotely or from home.
According to a new Workplace Vision Health Report, GenZ and workers across other age groups reported declining eye health due to increased screen time. Employees surveyed report getting as much as 96.1 hours of screen time — the equivalent of four full days — every week. This means 208 days’ worth of screen time annually, which is more than half of the entire year. For graphic designers, these numbers may even be worse as high-quality and advanced graphic design tends to take time.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can protect and preserve your eye health as a graphic designer. In this post, we’ll be sharing helpful eye health tips for graphic designers to better take care of their eye health:
Getting your glasses updated
If you need a prescription for vision correction, just wearing your glasses while doing graphic design work isn’t enough. It’s important to keep your prescription updated to ensure your vision stays clear. On the other hand, if you don’t need a prescription, you may want to consider getting a pair of blue light glasses anyway for some much-needed blue light protection. Eyewear brand Gunnar has a collection of stylish and fun blue light glasses, including some collaborations with Marvel if you’re a fan.
Fortunately, you don’t have to leave your house — and your graphic design work hours — to get your glasses. Target Optical’s website has a try on feature that lets you try on glasses online straight from your digital device. On Target Optical’s website, you can virtually “fit” glasses from various brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Armani Exchange to check how each design and model would fit your face and look more. Target Optical also supports vision insurance, allowing users to save up to 80% on specific frames, which can help you save significant costs. Plus, you can have your glasses delivered right to your doorstep, making it a convenient and cost-efficient way to keep your eyes healthy.
Taking frequent breaks
Aside from wearing glasses — whether blue light or prescription or both — it’s also important to give your eyes a much-needed break once in a while. Some studies have suggested that symptoms like eye strain and discomfort when using digital devices for too long may be due to a lack of blinking instead of a direct cause of blue light exposure. By taking frequent breaks, you allow your eyes to rest and blink, helping prevent dry eyes and irritation when working for long periods.
Experts have long recommended the 20-20-20 rule to help reduce symptoms of eye fatigue and eye strain. The rule suggests looking at objects 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. While seemingly trivial, many eye care practitioners commonly recommend this rule as clinical advice. Still, studies find that very few people regularly practice this habit. You can set up notifications or alerts on your smartphone to encourage yourself to take a break from the screen — even if only for 20 seconds.
Snacking healthily
Finally, another important eye health practice you’ll want to adopt is to snack healthily. It’s not uncommon to crave snacks when working for long hours. Unfortunately, not all snacks are good for your eye health. Instead of relying on oil- or fats-heavy snacks and foods, you may want to consider healthier alternatives. For example, nuts like walnuts, cashews, and lentils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which can help protect your eyes from potential damage.
You should also not overlook the importance of fluids. Staying hydrated is common advice, but fluids are especially important for your life and eye health. Aside from preventing dehydration, drinking lots of water can also keep your eyes lubricated for longer, which is useful for preventing dry eyes, itchiness, and red eyes when working long graphic design hours.
If you liked this post, you can check out our previous post explaining color theory and psychology, which are crucial building blocks for graphic design and the many techniques involved, from layout and composition to branding and logo design.