How To: Save Our Eyes Pic

In the age of Zoom, it is common to have your total screen time values skyrocket. I mean, sure, your phone told you that your usage went down 29 percent, but little does it know that you also had a Zoom study session all evening, and we can’t forget your endless class lectures. Here are a few ways to save your vision.

Get an Anti-Glare Filter

Your laptop is probably feeling sorry for you when you use it for the tenth hour of the day, so try purchasing an anti-glare filter to reduce the amount of light reflecting off your screen. This is especially useful if you usually work by a window or outside. A 2-pack is available on Amazon for around $20.

Keep Your Phone Away from Your Bed

Every Saturday, your first two hours are probably spent in bed, scrolling through your phone mindlessly. You delete the ten thousand emails cluttering your inbox, watch Snapchat stories of students on campus, and like Instagram pictures of a burnt crème brûlée. Why is this a habit? It’s because your phone is right next to you when you wake up. Before you go to sleep, place your phone (and other addictive devices) all the way across the room so that you’re forced to get up when you reach for it later. With this tip, you might actually eat breakfast before noon (since you will also have to get out of bed to shut off an alarm).

Delete Your Most Time-consuming Apps

Whether it’s YouTube, Facebook, Netflix, or all of the above, now is the time for a semi-digital detox. Promise yourself that you won’t give in to the urge to re-download these apps or use them from another device because no, you don’t need to binge-watch your favorite show or cyber-stalk your Zoom crush. If they’re not following you back, then they’re not following you back.

Find a New Technology-free Pastime

Each day blends in with the next, so why not break the monotony with a different hobby? Whether it’s doing cardio workouts between classes, trying out meditation as midterm season destroys your life, or making smoothies to surprise your organs with vitamins, this is a great way to distract yourself from technology for a while. Even if your fruit drink ends up making you gag, at least you saved your eyes for twenty minutes.

Call Someone on the Phone

Can’t remember when you last simply called a friend rather than texting, FaceTime-ing, or Zoom-ing? We can’t either. But this old-fashioned way of conversing means that neither of you have to worry about how you look, nor are you jeopardizing your vision — it’s a win-win situation. If you want to go wild on historical methods of communication, write a letter to your friends (yes, with a pen and paper). Extra points if you use a messenger pigeon.

It’s a beautiful day to save eyes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” anyone?). Try these suggestions not only because your eye strain has never been worse, but also to change things up in your life. And who knows, after a whole day of classes on Zoom, you may be able to still see the facial features of your family members instead of recognizing them by their blurry outline.