Translators and eye health

Posted on: October 5, 2021

I’m getting old, and despite all the strength training, weight maintenance and healthy lifestyle in the world, the one place I’m really feeling it is in the eye.

I’m sure that part of the problem is the shear amount of time I spend looking at screens and having to concentrate hard to read particular characters.

After another two-yearly eye check, this is now the 3rd time I’ve been given a totally new prescription for glasses, but it’s the first time the optician told me to try to wear my glasses most of the time, rather than just while driving or watching movies.

I notice particularly in the morning when I walk into my office and I just can’t read the labels on my folders from my chair, without walking up to them or putting on my glasses.

I do wonder how people managed back in the olden days before glasses.

As a translator I wonder if we need to take other measures to improve our eye-health? More regular check-ups for example, or possibly even things like eye exercises? I do try to look out of the window from time to time.

C’est la vie!