What are you looking at?

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We spend a great deal of time taking care of our lenses, camera bodies, lights and accessories but very little thought goes into taking good care on the one item that makes it possible to do our job well: our eyes.

For every hour spent shooting there is usually two hours spent editing and that means spending long nights staring at a computer screen, which may lead to irreparable eye damage.

I’m a huge fan of alternative health hacks and the other day I heard a fantastic interview
with Dr John Dewitt who had the following tips to maintaining great eye health when spending long hours staring at a screen.

Try these out next time you’re pulling an all nighter editing photos. Your eyes will love you for it.

Blink 20

Did you know that when staring at a screen most people blink 66% less than they should be. This ends up causing eyes to dry out and become irritated because it’s blinking that keeps our eyes lubricated.

I keep a post it note on the edge of my screen that says “blink 20” reminding me to blink more and keep my eyes hydrated.

Far and away

Eyes get tired really quickly if they are just focusing at the same distance for hours on end. Try giving your eyes a good “stretch” by varying the distances you focus on.

Looking away from the computer and focusing on something in the distance for 20 seconds and then switching your gaze to something close for 20 seconds really helps with eye fatigue. Repeat this 10 times every hour or so.

Lighting

Try and work in a well lit room and avoid overhead fluorescent lighting. It puts an extra strain on the eyes and is the most unflattering light the world. It should be banned for that reason alone, seriously.

If you interested in further reading check out Dr John’s amazing book You Don’t Need Your Glasses or Contacts

How to direct and pose like a pro

About Gina

About Gina

Gina Milicia is one of the most widely known and respected photographers in Australia. She is the master of capturing that ‘magical moment’... READ MORE

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