→ It is important to break up screen time to allow your eyes (and mind!) a chance to rest.

→ One option is the 20-20-20 Rule. Look away from your screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds at a time and focus on a fixed point 20 feet away. There's even a free web app that alerts you after 20 minutes has gone by so you know it's time to give your eyes a rest. It's called Protect Your Vision and it's compatible with Chrome, Firefox and Safari. (Note: Protect Your Vision uses Flash, which has to be enabled on some browsers.) Or you could add the app to your phone and use your phone as a timer:

→ There's an App For That: 20-20-20 Vision App for iPhone/iPad

→ There's an App For That: 20-20-20 Vision App for Android Phones/Tablets

→ Try the Pomodoro method as a way to break up your screen time. Watch the video below on "How To Work Smarter, Not Harder" to learn the Pomodoro method.

→ If you find that these time increments do not work for you, adjust as necessary, maintaining the principle of taking frequent breaks from looking at your screen.

→ And hey - if you don't like using timers as described in the Pomodoro method, there are other ways to keep track of focused time and break time; consider creating a play list (instrumental music usually works best!) that approximates the Pomodoro method.

→ You may be like many students who prefer to work on their studies later in the day. Or, your class schedule and personal commitments - work schedule, child care, or many other activities - may dictate when you are able to do your work. But it's important try to design your study schedule to reduce or avoid screen time at the end of the day when your eyes are already more tired.

→ One strategy may be to break up screen time with recorded video lectures; just because it's a video doesn't mean you have to watch it while listening; this isn't always true, but as you learn how your instructor teaches, you may find lecture times where you can listen and take notes, rather than watch, listen and take notes.

→ The default display settings on your computer can sometimes be straining.

→ On a PC: check out the Night Light feature, which allows you to display “warmer” colors at certain times of day to reduce blue light.

→ On a Mac: try switching to Dark Mode to reduce screen brightness.

→ Try downloading f.lux, which adapts your screen brightness to the time of day.

→ Try inverting colors; white on black rather than black on white.

for your PC or watch a video for PC

for your Mac or watch a video for Mac

for your Chromebook or watch a video for Chromebook

→ Increase your scale settings to enlarge all text that appears on your screen.

for your PC or watch a video for PC

for your Mac or watch a video for Mac

for your Chromebook or watch a video for Chromebook

→ Adjust the Color Temperature of your screen. Didn't know there was such a thing? There is! It's best to use a warmer (yellowish) color temperature in dark rooms and a colder (bluer) color temperature in bright rooms. Another way to understand it is that Color Temps are measured in degrees of Kelvin, with the scale ranging from 1,000 to 10,000. During the daylight hours, it's best to keep your monitor relatively cool with a default color temperature of 6,500K. At night, the color temperature should be warmer, and around 3,400K.

→ Manually set Color Temp on your device.

for your PC or watch a video for PC

for your Mac or watch a video for Mac

for your Chromebook or There aren't any good videos on this topic yet.

→ Keep reading for an app to make automatic Color Temp adjustments.

Yep! While it's possible to adjust the Color Temp of your screen manually, there's also an app for that; the f.lux app adjusts your screen's Color Temp automatically:

→ Download f.lux (this link is for Windows, but the page also has links for: Mac, Linux, iPhone/iPad and Android (Android includes Chromebooks)

→ Twilight App. If, for some reason, f.lux won't work on your Andriod device (phone, Chromebook or non-Apple tablet) Google has the Twilight App, which does the same thing. You can find it in the Google Play Store, or click the link: Google Play Twilight App.

→ By speaking aloud rather than typing, you reduce the need to concentrate intensely on the screen (just make sure to go back later to make edits). Dictation is available on Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Narrator

→ There are also options to have text read aloud to you to give your eyes a break. Check out read-aloud options for pdfs and Word documents.

Adjust Your Monitor Position

→ Position your screen 20-30 inches away from your face, and make sure your eyes are level with the very top of your monitor. If you don't have ability to adjust your screen's height, stack some hardcover books beneath it. Raising or lowering your chair can also help. The key thing to remember is that you should be looking slightly down at your work. The center of the screen should be located between 15 and 20 degrees below horizontal eye level.

Consider Light Blocking Products

→ Some students benefit from products like blue light screen overlays, tinted lenses, or simply wearing sunglasses while looking at screens.

Eye Care

→ Eye drops can ensure your eyes stay lubricated while using a computer. You can purchase over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tears that you can use when your eyes feel dry.

→ While you can make some changes to your computer workstation and monitor, there are other things you can do to ensure you’re protecting your eyes as best you can while working. You can also adjust your eyes’ focusing ability and “relax” your eyes by looking at a faraway object for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, look at an object that is closer to you.

Stay Hydrated

→ Dehydration can make chronic dry eye symptoms worse. And if you’re staring at a computer screen for an extended period of time on top of that, not drinking enough water can make your eyes feel even worse. Stay hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water throughout each day.