Show HN: To prevent dry eyes and back pain, I create a macOS app

OP mentions they’re not a fan of smart watches, but in case you don’t mind wearing one, you can get a pretty good setup with one. I have an Apple Watch and use the Repeat Timer app (pro version) [0], which lets me create a timer that goes off every 20 minutes, and which has a rest interval of 20 seconds before resuming the main timer, which lets me follow the 20/20/20 rule just by paying attention to the vibrations on my watch. You have to remember to turn it on every day, so I use the Reminders app to do that every weekday morning. Overall, I find myself at the end of the day with noticeably less eyestrain.

[0]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/repeat-timer-looping-reminder/...

If you or other commenters have problems with this, consider doing some activities that really get yourself in-tune with what it means to be relaxed. A lot of programmers will run or lift weights, and that is a great way to keep your body functional and physically healthy. But most programmers I know are very out of touch with the other side of physical health--getting in tune with their stress and how to deal with its physical manifestations. Lifting weights in particular can make this harder, because at least for me it makes me used to feeling tense and sore.

The reason I bring this up is that if your baseline emotional state is stressed out, you will be more likely not to notice that being at the computer is making your body feel bad. You will be less likely to take those breaks and stretch what needs stretching and give your eyes a break because you are not aware of what it means to truly feel peace in your body. On the flipside, if you are in tune with what stress is feeling like and what calm relaxation and emotional stillness feels like, you will be less likely to tolerate situations that make your body and mind ache.

Yoga, meditation, and having a really fulfilling sex life are all obvious ways to reduce stress. Working on a healthy upright posture in the full course of your day is helpful too. Less obviously, talk therapy can be helpful if you feel like you can't relax or are anxious and tense all the time--the problem might be deeper than just needing a massage.

People who get eye strain from computers: how bright do you keep your screen?

I keep mine low (10–20% brightness) and don't get eye strain, but I'm curious whether that's just me, or if others find high brightness is correlated with strain.

Same. I keep my room well lit — be it natural or artificial, and keep screen brightness below 40% most of the time, and it really helps.

I always keep mine about 70-80% brightness cause I think it look clearer. Anyone else feel better with low brightness?

I wanted to give my eyes a rest while working. Opthalmologists and optometrists recommend every 20 minutes, look at something 20 ft away for 20 seconds.

I found an app to do so. Like your app, it has a big full screen break, and some way to tell you to you your break was incoming.

I found two things: first, the full screen thing was jarring and too much (also I had to click to dismiss it iirc). I changed the app to use notifications only. It sent a "get ready" notification 5s before, an "ok go". notification before, and a "you're done!" Notification with sound effect after 20s. Each of these notifications cleared after 5s do I didjt have to babysit it.

And secondly, the full version of the app cost $10, which I felt appalled at paying for something that sends notifications every 20m.

I'll definitely take a look at this to see if it's something I could use instead. My eyes definitely felt less tired when taking frequent short breaks, and it gave me some space to reset my thought patterns (sometimes useful when down a debugging rabbit hole)

I still can't believe so many people work on a laptop all day. It puts an unbelievable amount of pressure on your neck causing all kinds of problems.

If you can set the top of your screen a little above eye level.

Check out Stretchly as well: https://hovancik.net/stretchly/

"Stretchly is a cross-platform open source app that reminds you to take breaks when working on your computer."

It's open source, binaries are available for macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, and users can write custom prompt messages (in addition to the standard ones about stretching, taking breaks, and eye strain).

Don't mean to hijack the thread but would like to share what I know about dry eyes.

I used to work at an Ophthalmology center and we treated dry eye all the time. It is pretty common for people who have had refractive surgery (LASIK/PRK) and postnatal women. To remedy dry eyes obviously first comes preservative-free artificial tear drops. The brand that I like to recommend is called Optase[1]. Their products are much higher quality than Refresh or Systane. Made in the EU. Lubricating ointment at night is also great, Optase also has an ointment as well.

Next you can go to an ophthalmologist and have them place punctal plugs in your tear ducts to retain more moisture. Super easy, done right in the exam chair on the slit lamp, takes 5 seconds, no pain. Just don't be anxious about the Dr coming near your eye. They dissolve in a few months and then you need to repeat if you find that it works. Tell them to use the longest lasting ones they have, but don't get non-dissolvable. Practices obviously make money the sooner you come back so they will probably try shorter span if you don't mention anything. There are also permanent ones but Drs have told me they can lead to issues so I don't want to recommend this. However it is available if you so desire.

Lowering monitor brightness personally helps me. I try to stay under 40%. Taking breaks is the best habit to build and someone mentioned the 20/20/20 break: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 ft away for 20 seconds.

If your case is severe, talk to an Ophthalmologist to get a prescription for Restasis or Cequa, generic is Cyclosporine. They are drops designed to increase your natural tears over the course of 4-6 months of use, twice a day. Really annoying and stinging drops but this is an option. Can be expensive, try to find the generic. This company ImprimisRx[2] sells it for $60/bottle and whatever the ophthalmologist will charge you over that if they are greedy. It's the Klarity-C drop.

Other things you can research are Amniotic Membranes and a multitude of Eyelid heating treatments. These are more expensive and results are not so permanent. You can buy heat masks as well for home use, I'd recommend that instead. Optase also sells this but I'm sure there are others.

Someone mentioned an oral hyluronic supplement but I haven't heard of this, I'm going to ask an ophthalmologist and see what they say.

While I'm here if I can help anyone here from some macular degeneration in your later years I'd like to. If you're over 50 years of age I would recommend spending on eye vitamins[3], even once every few months is better than nothing. Don't mean to peddle fear but this pathology is _not_ fun if you get it. Visit an ophthalmologist for a retina exam once a year after 60 years of age. Every 4-6 months after 70. After you get cataracts done around the same age and have wonderful sight, this can ruin everything. If you plan to use a computer past the age of 80 this is a good precautionary step to take. General retinal advice for anyone: if you see a ton of flashing lights like fireworks to go a retina specialist ASAP.

Also if you are african american please go to an ophthalmologist or optometrist who has a Visual Field test for glaucoma once a year. You probably already know but your genetics are predisposed for this terrible pathology. You must go every year for this test no matter your age! General glaucoma advice for all 50 and older folks: Get a visual field test done every year. If you see a black veil or curtain start to form over your vision from the sides or anywhere go to a glaucoma ophthalmologist immediately.

[1] https://optase.com , can be purchased from Amazon, Walmart, and they say Walgreens pharmacy carries it as well.

[2] https://www.imprimisrx.com/totaltears/

[3] PreserVision AREDS 2

I wouldn't recommend buying anything health-related on Amazon due to inventory commingling and their complicity with counterfeiters.

As a rule, unless you have the skills and equipment necessary to evaluate the legitimacy and safety of the product you receive, don't buy it.

For electronics it's usually pretty easy for us HN users, but for this kind of product you'd need an entire lab to be able to tell whether what you got is actually real (and safe) or a knockoff/contaminated/expired.

I'll update my post about other places to purchase. If anyone wants them directly shipped from an ophthalmologist you can email me and I can link you to one in LA. Will be more expensive probably to cover shipping.

blank5 at fastmail

Start consuming an oral hyluronic acid pill twice a day. This should be the very first line treatment for dry eyes.

Then try out a lid cleaning regime.

To help and protect your insufficient eyes, take as many preservative free drops as you can. Never use eye drops with preservatives.

Also, apply occulsr vitamin A+E healing ointment all over the outside of your eyes before sleep.

If you do all this I guarantee you your dry eyes will be better in a few days.

To paraphrase: "I poke myself in the eye with a fork all day and it hurts, so I built an app that detects when I'm doing it and gives me a pop-up reminding me not to poke myself in the eye with a fork so much"

Seriously, though, if you're spending all day hunched over a tiny laptop screen working, the answer is not an app - the answer is to get yourself a proper keyboard and chair and monitor. Your back and wrists and eyes will thank you.

This is not understood well until one actually invests in a simple setup.

And, I am so glad I did. I can genuinely work all day sitting comfortably in my chair with a three monitor setup with a keyboard at a proper distance if I have to.

Yep. I bought a new ergonomic chair and a new 4K monitor last year. My back pain disappeared soon, but my eyes still feel bad sometimes if I work continuously too often, like 4 hours x 2 per day. But if I take some break regularly, they will feel better. Now my configuration of Eye Monitor is working 40 mins with 5 mins break.

It doesn't make a big difference to work in front of a 13' inch laptop than to work in front of a 27' inch monitor. The problem is the same: too much screen time.

The position of the screen is important, and it's a lot easier to position correctly a 27 inch monitor than a 13 inch laptop. A properly fitting chair and desk, ergonomic keyboard and mouse, all of this can make a noticeable difference, I promise.

About four years ago I started to have some mild wrist and lower back discomfort, especially after working long hours... I decided to improve my work setup because that was the easiest thing to fix without changing my habits. Since then all discomfort was gone and haven't had any issues even though I still spend way too many hours on the computer. I know I should still change my habits, especially since I'm starting to notice I don't feel quite as young any more, but don't discount the difference a good desk setup and posture can make.

There is such a thing as eye muscles. And like every muscle they like it when you move them from time to time.

Make sure to put your monitor into a room where you can look easily past it into something on a different distance. Just so that every once in a while. Bonus points if you develope a feeling for what movements your eye muscles like to do right now.

I am in front of a screen for 20 years now, and I have perfect eye sight doing just that. I never had hurting eyes from computers during that time.

The key is to listen to the signs your body gives you and not ignoring them. Sounds simple, but is actually hard if you formed a habit of suppressing your body/needs.

It made a huge difference for me.

I suffered years of pain from a crinked neck, sore back, herniated gut, swollen leg veins, strained wrist (RSI), and dry eyes.

Step by step, I solved the problems. (In matching order:) Higher monitors, standing desk, ergonomic chair, standing desk, better peripherals, dimmed screen (using f.lux).

The key is gradually changing things until you find local maxima that work for you. If it hurts in a new way, change again. If the same hurt comes back, intensify the change.

It’s not as simple as “too much screen time.” I spend far more time in front a screen now compared to before, and yet suffer far less.

matte display vs. glossy display seems to make a difference for me (at least psychologically). matte feels cooler and is less harsh on my eyes.

This is not completely true.

When the monitor is at the correct hight it will put less strain on the neck.

In the neck are also nerves that are related to sight. A tight neck can also cause visual problems.

I think the point is not the size but the resolution ratio of the screen. A 13' inch 4k screen will be much better for your eyes than a 27' inch 1080P screen.

But no matter how good the screen is, too much screen time will still hurt your eyes.

Same issues sitting or standing at a large monitor all day