As businesses adopt digital transformation for efficiency and innovation, web developers and designers continue to be in demand. As covered in a previous post, building a custom website can be a complicated process, so business owners look for professionals who can help them leverage the benefits of WordPress as a cost-effective and user-friendly platform. Whether they’re looking for someone who can start a project from scratch, build a branding identity, or troubleshoot issues, your skills and experience will help garner website traffic and engage customers for sales and growth.
However essential your role may be, being a WordPress developer or designer can have its own disadvantages, mainly due to increased screen time as a risk factor for eye conditions. Due to the tech-oriented nature of their work, web developers and designers like you join the population of more than 104 million Americans who spend more than 7 hours a day in front of screens. This excessive exposure to screens can be a risk factor for eye issues like digital eye strain, characterized by symptoms like sore or tired eyes, dry eyes, blurred or double vision, and headaches.
Such symptoms not only affect your ability to focus and be productive but can even lead to high medical costs if left unmanaged. In this case, you may consider the following eye care tips to manage digital eye strain and continue performing your best as a WordPress developer or designer.
Wear glasses while working
The risk of digital eye strain is associated with exposure to blue light, the high-energy light emitted by electronic displays. Ocular structures like the retina can also be vulnerable to prolonged blue light exposure, making it crucial to wear blue light-filtering glasses to minimize the damaging effects.
Additionally, anyone suffering from vision impairments like myopia must wear prescription glasses to avoid excessive squinting and straining the eyes while staring at digital screens. The retailer Glasses.com offers a range of timeless prescription frames like the cat-eye RA7152U from Ralph Lauren and the square-shaped AX1069 frames from Armani Exchange—made of lightweight and flexible materials to ensure optimal comfort.
Opt for eye-safe displays
Aside from wearing eyewear, you can preserve your eyesight by opting for eye-safe displays. For example, OLED monitors are considered more eye-friendly since they minimize blue light emission, optimize the refresh rate, and eliminate flicker to prevent eye strain.
Alternatively, you can utilize Eyesafe’s screen accessories, which are essentially protective filters designed for the screens of computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other blue light-emitting devices. These screen protectors undergo a Marketing Claim Verification program from UL Solution and are assigned a Radiance Protection Factor (RPF) to assess their ability to reduce blue light while still maintaining the display’s color integrity, which is especially important for web designers who ensure WordPress websites are aesthetically pleasing.
Set aside time for screen breaks
Last but not least, no matter how long website design and development processes may take, WordPress professionals must remember to take regular breaks away from the screen. The 20-20-20 rule reminds you that for every 20 minutes spent staring at screens, you need to look at an object 20 feet away from you for at least 20 seconds.
In addition, you can utilize software like Digital Wellbeing, which can help you plan your breaks without sacrificing your workflows by tracking your overall screen time and monitoring your screen use across various applications.
In summary, WordPress developers and designers can manage digital eye strain and invest in their long-term eye health by using protective eyewear and eye-safe displays, and incorporating regular breaks into their daily work routines.