With everyone under quarantine and hunkering down in their apartments to work from home, it’s no surprise Apple has reported a rise in average screen time from both kids and adults. 10 years ago, this wouldn’t have been a major problem, but most people have jobs that require them to stare at bright screens literally all day. The exposure to blue light and radiation has obvious, much-discussed effects on your eyes, but what often gets neglected is the effect that extensive screen time has on the skin around your peepers. Here’s how to keep both protected.

Use the 20-20-20 rule

This neat trick helps reduce eye strain and prevents your eyes from blurring after staying focused on your computer for too long. For every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, take 20 seconds to look away at something that is at least 20 feet away from you (e.g. a tree outside, a kid running around, a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again). According to the American Optometric Association, this allows your eyes to shift from short- to long-distance perception, which decreases strain.

Calibrate screen brightness and contrast

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Screens that are too dim not only damage your eyes (especially when you’re reading from a dim screen for extended periods), but they also cause you to squint at your screen more, creating wrinkles around your eyes and in between your eyebrows. Be sure to calibrate your screen settings to your comfort, or use free software or browser extensions that make your computer display automatically adapt to the time of day (f.lux is a good option).

Keep allergies at bay

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The main cause of allergies, like allergic rhinitis, are the dust mites that can be found all over your home (even in and on your eyebrows!). Mite droppings—we know, ew, sorry—can collect all over your pillows and bedsheets, triggering allergic reactions that cause you to tear up and crinkle the skin around your eyes…and make it even more irritating to work with screen light. Stay stocked up on antihistamines and nasal sprays—or invest in a tried-and-tested air purifier—and you can stave off unnecessary eye irritation.

Uh, don’t forget to blink

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This is quite possibly the easiest step on this list. Sometimes, we’re so in the zone that we forget to give our eyes that periodic half-second break they need from time to time: a blink! That’s because prolonged screen time has been proven to reduce blink rate. Then, your eyes dry out, causing the skin around your eyes to dull as well. Guys, let’s not fall into this rabbit hole. Put simply, blinking helps to rehydrate your eyes, so this is a non-negotiable. 

Non-surgical maintenance

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You can be doing everything right—even buying an anti-blue screen filter for your computer screen—but sometimes, your eye area can become darkened, wrinkled, or dull-looking. Enter BioNutriGlow: it’s a simple mesotherapy treatment that injects 50+ essential skin-nourishing vitamins and nutrients directly into the eye area. It uses a patented Nanosoft needle (the smallest in the market) so that pain is minimized. Just one session gives you immediate visible results. 

Screen light is an inevitable companion during this quarantine period. Taking these precautions is important, so that your short-term work days don’t have a long-term effect on your eyes and the skin around them. Because trust us—your eyes are definitely worth the effort.

To book your BioNutriGlow appointment, click here, or email info@belomed.com.

Want to chat before diving in? Click here to book an online consultation with a Belo MD. If you want to speak to the Beauty Expert herself, click here to book an online consultation with Dr. Vicki Belo.