Screen usage, frankly, is insane for me these days—if I’m not on the computer (word processing, Skype, Facebook, email, website updates, graphic design…), it’s the e-reader or the smartphone. My preferred method of relaxing? Reading or computer games. It took me way too long to realize that it was relaxing for my brain, not so much for my eyes. I find myself grabbing reading glasses for the backs of cans when I cook. I’ve been threatening to replace my smartphone with a tablet because I can’t read anything on the darn screen. My eyes are dry and tired, and I realized the other day I didn’t want to watch a DVD because it just seemed too hard.
And yet, I keep putting off going to the eye doctor. Why? Time. Energy. Annoyance factor of admitting I’m old enough to need reading and computer glasses? The budgetary issues of knowing insurance covers one pair of glasses, but I need either two or three. I’d rather not lose the writing time? Hey, I could blog excuses here all week. What I need to do is make the damn appointment. I’m sure there’s lots of adaptive equipment out there for the blind, but I’d rather not actually need something like that.
My eyes are critical to my work and I need to start being kind to them. Check light-levels when I’m on the computer. Take more frequent breaks from the computer (all of them). Make that appointment, get the glasses, and use them.
Rowan Worth 
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Yes! More stellar advice! It’s amazing what we can get used to and suddenly we realize there’s no need to suffer eye strain and bad headaches–we can get our eyes checked and/or corrected. What a concept! 🙂 But you’re right, Rowan, it’s time-consuming and costly. But so necessary, if we writers want to be able to continue to do what we live to do. I can’t imagine not being able to do it. Your post today reminds me of that Twilight Zone episode with Burgess Meredith, who plays a bookwarm reading in a bank vault during his lunch hour while the rest of the world is destroyed around him. But he’s ecstatic because he finds a library and can finally read to his heart’s content–and then he steps on his glasses. My heart breaks all over again every time I watch that!