Tricks Inside Windows 10

Tricks Inside Windows 10

Microsoft's Windows OS isn't any one thing. It arises from a patchwork of finely tuned features. Each individual feature is, in turn, the result of a team of dedicated engineers who create the best (often personalizable) experience possible. So, with such a complex, nuanced, and vast piece of software, it makes sense that there are little tricks and UI flourishes that most people don't even know about.

As it turns out, there are all sorts of tricks hidden beneath the surface of the sprawling beast that is Windows. All it takes is a little digging.

Here we present a list of 10 cool tips that will help you get a little bit more out of your Windows 10 experience. Or, at least, there are some things you may have not known about. Some have been available in Windows for a number of generations, while some are native to Microsoft's most recent OS.

PCMag has some dedicated Windows fans in our readership, so you likely know at least some of these features, but you probably don't know them all. I tested these on a pair of Lenovo laptops, one running Windows 10 and the other (when accessible) on Windows 7 Professional.

1Secret Start Menu

If you're a fan of that old-school (i.e. non-tiled) Start menu experience, you can still have it—sorta. If you right-click on the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner, it will prompt a textual jump menu with a number of familiar popular destinations (Programs and Features, Search, Run). All these options are available through the standard menu interface, but you'll be able to access them quicker through this textual interface.

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2Secret Desktop Button

This desktop button actually dates back to Windows 7, but I embarrassingly only recently found out about it. On the bottom-right corner of your page, there's a secret desktop button. Don't see it? Look allll the way to the bottom and right, to the side of the date and time. There you'll find a small little sliver of an invisible button. Click that and it will minimize all your open windows to clear the desktop. You can change the behavior of this in Settings, between having to click or just having to hover the mouse over the corner.

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3Rotate Your Screen via Keyboard Ctrl-Alt-D Arrows

This tip won't be useful to most of y'all, but you can rotate your screen by simultaneously pressing Ctrl + Alt + D and any of the arrow buttons. The down arrow will flip it upside down, the left or right arrow buttons will turn it 90 degrees on its side, and the up arrow will bring you back to standard orientation. If you use multiple displays, this feature allows you to orient just that display in a particular way.

Alternatively, you can right-click on the desktop background > Graphics Options > Rotation to turn your page around in all sorts of ways. This feature is available on Windows 7 and 10.

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4Enable Slide to Shutdown

This trick only works on Windows 10 as far as I can tell. It's complicated and probably not worth the effort for what you get out of it, but here you go:

Right-click on the desktop > New > Shortcut. In the ensuing pop-up window, paste the following line of code:

%windir%\System32\SlideToShutDown.exe

This creates a clickable icon on your desktop, which you can feel free to rename to whatever you'd like. To shut down via slide-down, double-click on the new icon to prompt a pull-down shade. Then use your mouse to drag it down to the bottom of the screen. Keep in mind, this isn't sleep, this is a shutdown.

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5Enable 'God Mode'

Are you a power user who wants access to your PC's nitty gritty? Then "God mode" is for you. Here's how to access it:

Right-click on the desktop > New > Folder. Re-name the new folder with this bit of code:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

To enter the "God Mode" window, double-click the folder and go nuts.

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6Right-Click on Tiles

Want to personalize those tiles quick? Just right-click on them to prompt a pop-up menu. This menu will give you various options like the ability to un-pin from the Start menu, to resize the windows, or to turn that live tile off.

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7Right-Click on the Taskbar

Here's a handy menu that will allow you to quickly access a number of presets for the toolbars, Cortana, and window schemes. There's a lot there, and it's just a click away.

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8Shake

This feature actually debuted in Windows 7, but I've found a lot of people don't know about it or use it (but they should—it's cool!). If you have a display full or windows, you can clear the clutter by grabbing the top of the window you do like and "shaking" it to minimize all the other windows. Suddenly having shaker's remorse? Shake again and the windows will come back.

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9Drag to Pin Windows

This feature was available as far back as Windows 7, but has some extras in 10. If you grab any window, and drag it to the side of the screen, it will "fit" to half the screen.

In Windows 10, you have the option of dragging the window to any corner of the screen to have the window take over that quarter of the screen. If you happen to be using multiple screens, you can drag to a border corner and wait for a prompt signal to let you know if the window will open in that corner.

You can prompt similar behavior by using the Windows key plus any of the directional arrow buttons.

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10Hidden Games in Cortana

They're not games in the "fun" sense as much as they're cool little time-killers that Cortana can help you with. You can type (or say) "Rock Paper Scissors," "Roll the Die," or "Flip the Coin" in Cortana to have a fun(?) graphic gaming experience. For even more Cortana tips you can check out our roundup.

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11Quickly Jump Between Virtual Desktops

Do you like to multitask on your PC? I mean really multi-task? Well, you can now rejoice because with Windows 10, Microsoft finally provided out-of-the-box access to virtual desktops.

To try it out, first click on the task bar (the icon to the right of the Windows menu). This will separate all your open windows into icons. You can then drag any of these open windows to the button that says "New desktop" in the bottom-right to create a new virtual desktop which you will see represented at the bottom of the task menu. This would allow you to, say, separate your work apps, personal apps, and social media into different desktops.

Once you click out of task view, you'll be able to toggle between the virtual desktops by pressing Windows button+Ctrl+right/left arrows. This will allow you to automatically switch between all the open windows which you've separated into different desktops, while leaving all the icons on your desktop unmoved.

To remove the virtual desktops, just go back into task view and delete the individual virtual desktops—this will not close out the apps contained within that desktop, but rather just send them to the next lower desktop.

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12Make Your Command Prompt Window Transparent

It appears this feature is new to Windows 10 (at least, it's not available in Windows 7). It will probably only be useful to a narrow niche of user, but if you like to dig your virtual fingers into the innards of Windows via the Command Prompt, Windows 10 provides a ghostly way to interface with it.

To access the Command Prompt (CP) interface in Win 10, click on the Windows menu and type "Command Prompt" to bring up quick access to the CP desktop app. Click that. To personalize the CP experience right-click at the top of the window to prompt a pop-up menu and choose "Properties." Click over to the "Colors" tab to see a range of personalization options. At the bottom of this tab, you'll find the "Opacity" slider, which allows you to see through the CP window.

This feature lets you code away in the CP while simultaneously observing the desktop. If you are Windows-hack-y like that, go nuts.

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The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Laptops

Make Your Own Power Plan

Windows laptops include a few preset power plans for maximizing battery life, but you can also customize your operating system's power-management features (in Windows XP, under Power Options in the Control Panel; in Vista, under Mobile PC in the Control Panel). Setting aggressive targets for when the display turns off and when the machine goes into sleep or hibernate mode will help your battery last longer.

Limit Your Connection

When you aren't actively using your notebook's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WWAN, or other wireless connections, turn the radios off (via the hard switch, if your PC has one, or using the appropriate utility), so they don't run down the battery while they keep searching for a signal. Also, use USB-attached devices sparingly while you're mobile.

Track it down

Thousands of laptops are reported stolen every year. Our advice? Prepare for the worst by investing in tracking software like Absolute Software's Lojack for Laptops, CyberAngel Security, or the free TheLaptopLock. These utilities can pinpoint a registered notebook's location once it connects to the Web, increasing your chances of recovering your system.

Dim the display

A laptop's biggest battery-life-sucking component is its LCD display. To eke out more juice when you're off the plug, turn down your panel's brightness to the lowest level your eyes can stand. Most notebooks have a Function key combo—or even a dedicated hot key—for a quick crank-down. (You can also adjust brightness in Display Settings under Control Panel.)

Keep It Cool

Thanks to their small, cramped cases and tiny vents, laptops are prone to overheating. Unfortunately, using your notebook on your lap—or on top of a blanket that protects your lap from your scalding-hot notebook—can seriously stifle ventilation and make matters worse. To help keep temperatures in check, opt for a lap desk or a laptop cooling pad that won't conduct heat or block your laptop's vents.

Back Up Everything

Constant movement puts computer components at risk, and because of their portability, laptops suffer a lot more wear and tear than desktops. All of that on-the-go use increases the risk of hard drive failure, so make sure you back up the data on your laptop to an external hard drive, thumb drive, or home server on a regular basis. Portable hard drives like the Western Digital Passport Elite make it easy to back up your data on the road.

Cover Your Keyboard

Keep liquids away from laptops at all times. That rule often gets broken, of course, and accidents happen. Should that accident end up on your laptop's keyboard, however, you could end up with more than just a mess: Liquids that seep through your notebook's keys can fry its components. Protect your notebook from spills with a custom-built, plastic keyboard cover from ProtecT Laptop Covers.

Buy a Bag

If you plan to carry your notebook with you, the most useful accessory you can buy is a laptop bag. They're available in a number of styles and prices; for maximum protection, we recommend investing in a model with a built-in padded sleeve. If you want something less conspicuous (thieves have been known to target obvious-looking laptop bags), cover your laptop in stand-alone sleeve and stow it in your backpack or briefcase.

Let It Accumulate

When you move your laptop from a cold to a warm environment, and vice versa, don't boot up until your system reaches room temperature. Sudden temperature changes can cause condensation to build up inside the notebook case; turn it on too quickly, and the moisture could damage your system's inner components

Top 10 Internet tips and tricks

You don't need the http:// portion of a web page

When entering an Internet address you do not need to type http:// or even www. in the address. For example, if you wanted to visit Computer Hope you could just type computerhope.com and press enter. To make things even quicker, if you are visiting a .com address you can type computerhope and then press Ctrl + Enter to type out the full http://www.computerhope.com address.

Quickly move between the fields of a web page

If you are filling out an online form, e-mail, or other text field you can quickly move between each of the fields by pressing the Tab key or Shift + Tab to move back a field. For example, in the example form below you can click in the "First Name" field type anything and press tab to switch to the next field.

Example Form

First Name: 
Last Name: 
E-mail: 

Tip: This tip also applies to the buttons, if you press tab and the web developer has designed correctly the button should be selected and allows you to press the space bar or enter to push the button.

Tip: With a drop-down box that lists dozens of options you can press the first letter to scroll down to that letter. For example, click the drop down box below and then press "u" to quickly scroll to Utah.

 State... None -- UNITED STATES -- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming -- CANADA -- Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory -- AUSTRALIA -- Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 

Bonus Tip: You can also use the autofill feature to fill in common form fields.

Know your Internet browser shortcuts

There are dozens of different shortcut keys that can be used with Internet browsers. Below are a few of our top suggested Internet browser shortcuts.

• Press Alt + D to move the cursor into theaddress bar.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and press the + or -to increase and decrease the size of text. Ctrl + 0 will reset the text.
• Press the backspace key or press Alt key + left arrow to go back a page.
• Press F5 to refresh or reload a web page.
• Press F11 to make the Internet browser screen full screen. Press F11 again to return to the normal view.
• Press Ctrl + B to open your Internet bookmarks.
• Press Ctrl + F to open the find box to search for text within the web page you are reading.

Related pages

• Full listing of Internet Explorer shortcut keys.
• Full listing of Mozilla Firefox shortcut keys.

Protect yourself and avoid bad websites

• How can I protect myself while online?
• Avoid Internet phishing.
• Protecting children from harmful material and people on the Internet.

Take advantage of tabbed browsing

Take full advantage of tabbed browsing on all Internet browsers. While reading any web page if you come across a link that interests you open the link in a new tab so it doesn not interrupt your reading. A new tab can be opened by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the link or if you have a mouse with a wheel press down on the wheel to use it as a middle mouse button to open the link in a new tab.

Use Internet search engines to their full potential

Get the most out of every search result. If you are not finding what you want try surrounding the text in quotes. For example, searching for 'computer help' without quotes returns results with "computer" and "help" anywhere on the page. However, if you search for "computer help" with the quotes it only return pages with "computer" and "help" next to each other.

Tip: In every search box you can press enter instead of using the mouse to click the Search button.

• Top 10 unknown Google tricks

Try alternative browsers

Most computer users use the default browser that comes included with the computer, with Microsoft Windows this is Internet Explorer. There are many great alternative browsers that are all free to download and use and may have features your current browser does not include. Below are a few of our favorites, try one or try them all.

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Opera

Install plugins and add-ons

All of the above alternative browsers also have a large community of volunteers who develop add-ons and plugins that can be added into the browser. Each of these browsers has hundreds of thousands of these add-ons that can do such things like the current weather in your browser window, changing its color, and adding additional functionality.

• Top 10 Firefox add-ons

Make sure your browser and its plugins are up-to-date

An Internet browser can have many plugins that give it additional functionality. For example, Adobe Flash is a great way to bring movies and other animated content to the Internet. Keeping these plugins up-to-date is vital for your computer stability and also security. Using the below tool you can quickly verify if your plugins are up-to-date and get links to where to download the latest updates.

• Computer Hope system information tool

Use online services

There are hundreds of free online services that can help make using your computer easier, more productive, and more enjoyable. See our top 10 online services for a listing of our favorites.

WhatsApp Web Version on Mac/PC Using Browser Web.Whatsapp.com

Hi friends, today I’m really very happy to share this  trick with every one because this is one of the most awaited feature that many of the messaging lovers like us are waiting for. I hope you understood what I am talking about!!!! Yes, your guess is right. Now, I will share very easiest way and secure to use whatsapp on your Windows laptop/PC or in MAC using Whatsapp Web trick.

• This method works in any browser in less than 5 Seconds. WhatsApp Tricks to use it like a Geek.

 , Whatsapp officially released web version. Before this web version we were using whatsapp for PC using Bluestacks and Youwave android emulators to get whatsapp in our laptops. To use whatsapp web version you don’t need download anything.

Requirements to use WhatsApp Web Version in MAC or Windows PC:

• You must have smartphone that supports QR code scanning. Don’t need to worry about whether it is Android or iOS or Blackberry or Windows phone. Your phone has to be able scan QR code. Then only you can use this WhatsApp Web version on PC.
• If your phone don’t have this option use this method: WhatsApp on Laptop
• Install Latest version of Whatsapp from your App Store.

I hope by this time you must be having Google Chrome in your Windows powered computer or in your Apple Mac. If you don’t Google Chrome installed on your MAC or PC. Just download and install Google chrome here. Yeah it take few minutes depending upon your Internet bandwidth. If you’ve got this already in your computer neglect it and continue to next step.

WhatsApp Web Version on PC/Mac Web.Whatsapp.com

• Visit https://web.whatsapp.com/ in your Google Chrome browser. Don’t bother about the OS.
• Then you will see QR CODE in your web browser like in the below image number 1.
• Now Take Your Smartphone, Open WhatsApp then Go to Options.
• Click on WhatsApp Web. A QR code Scanning screen will appear like in image Number 2.

• Scan the code that is there in your Google Chrome. Booooommm…now you will see all your whatsapp conversations in your web browser Google chrome.
• If you wanna sign out on Whatsapp Web just go to options in Mobile>> Whatsapp Web > Sign out.

Note For Iphone User : As Currently Iphone doesn’t support QR Code scanning you Wouldn’t be able to use this method. If you own a iPhone then you should check this guide to use whatsapp on PC.

By this time you must be using WhatsApp on PC. Don’t forget to thank me. If you like this you can do a small favor for me. Just share this article with your colleagues and friends. Checkout Below Images for further clear steps.

I hope you like this simple and useful tutorial checkout some more awesome tutorials.

Dear Friends This An Information That Every Person In IT Field Must Keep In Mind

 ..................................................................Computer Eye Strain: 10 Steps for Relief

With so many of us using computers at work, computer eye strain has become a major job-related complaint. Studies show that eye strain and other bothersome visual symptoms occur in 50 to 90 percent of computer workers.

These problems can range from physical fatigue, decreased productivity and increased numbers of work errors, to minor annoyances like eye twitching and red eyes.

Here are 10 easy steps you can take to reduce your risk of computer eye strain and other common symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS):

1. Get a comprehensive eye exam.

Having a routine comprehensive eye exam is the most important thing you can do to prevent or treat computer vision problems.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), computer users should have an eye exam before they start working on a computer and once a year thereafter.

During your exam, be sure to tell your eye doctor how often you use a computer at work and at home. Measure how far your eyes are from your screen when you sit at your computer, and bring this measurement to your exam so your eye doctor can test your eyes at that specific working distance.

2. Use proper lighting.

Eye strain often is caused by excessively bright light either from outdoor sunlight coming in through a window or from harsh interior lighting. When you use a computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as that typically found in most offices.

Eliminate exterior light by closing drapes, shades or blinds. Reduce interior lighting by using fewer light bulbs or fluorescent tubes, or use lower intensity bulbs and tubes. If possible, position your computer monitor or screen so windows are to the side, instead of in front or behind it.

Many computer users find their eyes feel better if they can avoid working under overhead fluorescent lights. If possible, turn off the overhead fluorescent lights in your office and use floor lamps that provide indirect incandescent or halogen lighting instead.

Sometimes switching to "full spectrum" fluorescent lighting that more closely approximates the light spectrum emitted by sunlight can be more comforting for computer work than regular fluorescent tubes. But even full spectrum lighting can cause discomfort if it's too bright. Try reducing the number of fluorescent tubes installed above your computer workspace if you are bothered by overhead lighting.

3. Minimize glare.

Glare on walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Consider installing an anti-glare screen on your monitor and, if possible, paint bright white walls a darker color with a matte finish.

Again, cover the windows. When outside light cannot be reduced, consider using a computer hood.

If you wear glasses, purchase lenses with anti-reflective (AR) coating. AR coating reduces glare by minimizing the amount of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your eyeglass lenses.

If your older monitor is causing computer eye strain, replace it with a flat-panel LCD screen that is easier on the eyes.

4. Upgrade your display.

If you have not already done so, replace your old tube-style monitor (called a cathode ray tube or CRT) with a flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD), like those on laptop computers.

LCD screens are easier on the eyes and usually have an anti-reflective surface. Old-fashioned CRT screens can cause a noticeable "flicker" of images, which is a major cause of computer eye strain. Even if this flicker is imperceptible, it still can contribute to eye strain and fatigue during computer work.

Complications due to flicker are even more likely if the refresh rate of the monitor is less than 75 hertz (Hz). If you must use a CRT at work, adjust the display settings to the highest possible refresh rate.

When choosing a new flat panel display, select a screen with the highest resolution possible. Resolution is related to the "dot pitch" of the display. Generally, displays with a lower dot pitch have sharper images. Choose a display with a dot pitch of .28 mm or smaller.

Flicker is not an issue with LCD screens, since the brightness of pixels on the display are controlled by a "backlight" that typically operates at 200 Hz.

If you see a lower refresh rate (e.g. 60 Hz) noted on an LCD screen, don't worry — this refers to how often a new image is received from the video card, not how often the pixel brightness of the display is updated, and this function typically is not associated with eye strain.

Finally, choose a relatively large display. For a desktop computer, select a display that has a diagonal screen size of at least 19 inches.

COMPUTERS AND CONTACTS

Do Contact Lens Wearers Have More Computer Vision Problems?

June 2014 — Because so many computer users wear contact lenses, researchers in Spain recently reviewed published studies to see if contact lens wear increases the risk of computer vision problems or causes a worsening of computer vision syndrome.

The investigators found 114 studies written in English or Spanish and published from 2003 to 2013 that referenced both contact lenses and computer use. They chose six studies for final analysis.

All six revealed that contact lens wearers were more likely to have computer vision syndrome symptoms than individuals who wore eyeglasses only or did not need corrective lenses. Prevalence of symptoms ranged from 17 to 95 percent among contact lens wearers and 10 to 58 percent among non-wearers. Also, contact lens wearers were four times more likely to have dry eyes during or after computer use, compared with non-wearers.

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses were associated with more comfort than regular soft lenses among computer users.

The study authors concluded that, during computer use, contact lens wearers suffer more eye discomfort and visual disturbances than non-wearers. But they also stated that, due to the small number of studies included in their analysis and the non-conclusive nature of some findings, more research is needed to determine the best type of contact lenses for computer users and how the lenses should be used.

A report of the study was published in the March/April 2014 issue of the journal Revista Espanola de Salud Publica.

5. Adjust your computer display settings.

Adjusting the display settings of your computer can help reduce eye strain and fatigue. Generally, these adjustments are beneficial:

• Brightness. Adjust the brightness of the display so it's approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation. As a test, look at the white background of this Web page. If it looks like a light source, it's too bright. If it seems dull and gray, it may be too dark.
• Text size and contrast. Adjust the text size and contrast for comfort, especially when reading or composing long documents. Usually, black print on a white background is the best combination for comfort.
• Color temperature. This is a technical term used to describe the spectrum of visible light emitted by a color display. Blue light is short-wavelength visible light that is associated with more eye strain than longer wavelength hues, such as orange and red. Reducing the color temperature of your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted by a color display for better long-term viewing comfort.

For computers running on a Microsoft Windows operating system, display settings can be adjusted in Control Panel. For an Apple computer, display settings are found in Systems Preferences (in the Applications folder in Finder).

In some cases, the color temperature of a desktop computer monitor is adjusted on the display itself.

EYE COMFORT TIPS

Text Size and Color on Your Digital Screen

To avoid eye strain, at what size should your computer display text? According to computer vision syndrome expert Dr. James Sheedy, it should be three times the smallest size that you can read from your normal viewing position.

The best color combination for your eyes is black text on a white background, though other dark-on-light combinations also work well.

If you use Windows 7, you can adjust text size and color by going to the Start menu, opening the Control Panel and choosing Display. Here you can also adjust your screen's resolution and brightness, for best visual comfort.

You can adjust text size when using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and other browsers, too. For example, in Firefox, you can enlarge an entire webpage by using the keyboard command Ctrl + as many times as you want, while Ctrl 0 makes everything normal-sized again. (Ctrl - makes everything smaller.) To enlarge only the text, use Alt V, then Z, then T. Then use Ctrl + again, and you'll see just the text enlarging.

Each browser and email program has different commands for adjusting text size, so look through the menus to learn what they are. Or visit Google and search for how-tos there.

Many smart phones let you adjust text size. For example, on the iPhone 4, you simply open the Settings menu, then choose General, then Accessibility, then Large Text. Here you can choose a new font size for core applications such as Mail, Notes and Calendar. The font will also display in certain third-party applications.

Whatever type of digital screen you're using, you'll enjoy it more if you make the effort to adjust the view for your visual comfort. Don't know how? Check the manufacturer's website or look it up on Google. — L.S.

6. Blink more often.

Blinking is very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation.

When working at a computer, people blink less frequently — about one-third as often as they normally do — and many blinks performed during computer work are only partial lid closures, according to studies.

Tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking phases and this can cause dry eyes. Also, the air in many office environments is dry, which can increase how quickly your tears evaporate, placing you at greater risk for dry eye problems.

If you experience dry eye symptoms, ask your eye doctor about artificial tears for use during the day.

By the way, don't confuse lubricating eye drops with the drops formulated to "get the red out." The latter can indeed make your eyes look better — they contain ingredients that reduce the size of blood vessels on the surface of your eyes to "whiten" them. But they are not necessarily formulated to reduce dryness and irritation.

To reduce your risk of dry eyes during computer use, try this exercise: Every 20 minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep (very slowly). This will help rewet your eyes.

To ease eye strain, make sure you use good lighting and sit at a proper distance from the computer screen.

7. Exercise your eyes.

Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Some eye doctors call this the "20-20-20 rule." Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.

Another exercise is to look far away at an object for 10-15 seconds, then gaze at something up close for 10-15 seconds. Then look back at the distant object. Do this 10 times.

This exercise reduces the risk of your eyes' focusing ability to "lock up" (a condition called accommodative spasm) after prolonged computer work.

Both of these exercises will reduce your risk of computer eye strain. Also, remember to blink frequently during the exercises to reduce your risk of computer-related dry eye.

8. Take frequent breaks.

To reduce your risk for computer vision syndrome and neck, back and shoulder pain, take frequent breaks during your computer work day.

COMPUTER VISION NEWS

Download an Updated Report on Digital Eye Strain in the United States

January 2015 — "Hindsight Is 20/20/20: Protect Your Eyes from Digital Devices" is The Vision Council's latest report on digital eye strain among four age groups: kids, Millennials, Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers.

The report is full of new statistics that may surprise you. For example, 30 percent of adults are spending more than nine hours a day using a digital device. And more than 30 percent of parents who say they are very concerned about the impact of digital devices on children's eyes still allow their kids to experience more than three hours of screen time each day. In fact, more than 15 percent of parents don't limit their children's screen time at all.

Those numbers are based on findings from a fall 2014 survey conducted by The Vision Council among 9,749 American adults. The report updates previous reports issued in 2012 and 2013.

The report also contains information on blue light, digital eye strain causes and prevention tips.Download the report here.

Many workers take only two 15-minute breaks from their computer throughout their work day. According to a recent NIOSH study, discomfort and eye strain were significantly reduced when computer workers took four additional five-minute "mini-breaks" throughout their work day.

And these supplementary breaks did not reduce the workers' productivity. Data entry speed was significantly faster as a result of the extra breaks, so work output was maintained even though the workers had 20 extra minutes of break time each day.

During your computer breaks, stand up, move about and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders to reduce tension and muscle fatigue.

Check your local bookstore or consult your fitness club for suggestions on developing a quick sequence of exercises you can perform during your breaks and after work to reduce tension in your arms, neck, shoulders and back.

9. Modify your workstation.

If you need to look back and forth between a printed page and your computer screen, this can cause eye strain. Place written pages on a copy stand adjacent to the monitor.

Light the copy stand properly. You may want to use a desk lamp, but make sure it doesn't shine into your eyes or onto your computer screen.

Improper posture during computer work also contributes to computer vision syndrome. Adjust your workstation and chair to the correct height.

Purchase ergonomic furniture to enable you to position your computer screen 20 to 24 inches from your eyes. The center of your screen should be about 10 to 15 degrees below your eyes for comfortable positioning of your head and neck.

10. Consider computer eyewear.

For the greatest comfort at your computer, you might benefit from having your eye care professional modify your eyeglasses prescription to create customized computer glasses. This is especially true if you normally wear contact lenses, which may become dry and uncomfortable during sustained computer work.

Computer glasses also are a good choice if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, because these lenses generally are not optimal for the distance to your computer screen