[HN Gopher] Show HN: To prevent dry eyes and back pain, I create...
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Show HN: To prevent dry eyes and back pain, I created a macOS app
In 2019, I experienced eye soreness and back pain for a while
because I was constantly working long hours in front of my 16 inch
Macbook without any rest. I decided to do something to change
that. I'm not a fan of Apple Watch or smartbands. So the first
thing I did was looking for some reminder software to remind me to
take a break in the App Store, but none of them were smart enough
for my needs. I wish the software could automatically tell if I was
working, rather than requiring me to manually set an alarm. At the
same time, when I go to the bathroom or drink coffee, it can
automatically increase the time I can continue to work afterward.
So I created Eye Monitor. Eye Monitor is an automatic reminder
tool. It judges whether you are using the computer through the use
of the mouse and keyboard. (which means when a user is watching
Youtube videos, Eye Monitor will consider it as not using computer.
I haven't found a solution yet.) Whenever you use it continuously,
your fatigue value will increase, and after a period of rest, your
fatigue value will decrease automatically. When your fatigue value
reaches the threshold you set, it will trigger a reminder
(including the dock icon, status bar, notification, full-screen
pop-up window, etc.). After a year of iteration, Eye monitor now
has a chart to show your usage of the day. And users now can
customize the fatigue threshold, rest duration, reminder interval,
reminder style, etc., and even customize the text of the
notification (My customized notification text is "All work and no
play makes Jack a dull boy") or upload your favorite picture as the
wallpaper of the full-screen pop-up window.(Not so useful, but I
like it.) I like to set the reminder interval very small, like 1
minute, so that when I turn off the reminder, 1 minute later the
reminder will reappear again and I will decide to take a break.
This software is like a bit of a nagging mom, taking the trouble to
remind you to rest. I hope you will like it. Here is the App Store
URL: [https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/eye-
monitor/id1527031341?l=en&...
Author : cswenshuo
Score : 46 points
Date : 2022-06-05 13:01 UTC (10 hours ago)
| troydavis wrote:
| 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).
| layer8 wrote:
| There are many such "pause reminder" apps, but the issue is
| that they either don't measure actual activity at all, or not
| usefully. Personally, I would need something geared towards
| keyboard RSI prevention, where it makes a big difference
| whether I'm reading documentation with low-frequency key
| presses or whether I'm hacking code or writing documentation
| with a high WPM count.
| CommieBobDole wrote:
| 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.
| wahnfrieden wrote:
| Same issues sitting or standing at a large monitor all day
| cswenshuo wrote:
| 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.
| tr1ll10nb1ll wrote:
| 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.
| sdevonoes wrote:
| 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.
| cswenshuo wrote:
| 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.
| [deleted]
| atoav wrote:
| 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.
| dandellion wrote:
| 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.
| blenderdt wrote:
| 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.
| DecoPerson wrote:
| 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.
| nishs wrote:
| 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.
| [deleted]
| xalava wrote:
| Using Safe Eyes on Linux with a similar effect. I enjoy it,
| especially asking friends to add nice and healthy messages
| https://slgobinath.github.io/SafeEyes/
| jen729w wrote:
| All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy ... an excellent track
| to work to, as it so happens. (The whole album is great.)
|
| HVOB: Jack
| https://music.apple.com/au/album/jack/1528144298?i=152814431...
| MAGZine wrote:
| 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)
| zwkrt wrote:
| 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.
| youniverse wrote:
| 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
| Nextgrid wrote:
| 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.
| youniverse wrote:
| 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
| spiffytech wrote:
| 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.
| cswenshuo wrote:
| I always keep mine about 70-80% brightness cause I think it
| look clearer. Anyone else feel better with low brightness?
| vishkk wrote:
| 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.
| doodpants wrote:
| I always keep my monitor's brightness low, and never experience
| eye strain. My technique is to hold a sheet of white paper up
| next to the screen, and turn down the display's brightness
| until a window with a white background appears to be no
| brighter than the paper.
| necovek wrote:
| I keep brightness low as well (and have since forever), but
| still have eye strain (and have possibly developed some eye
| issues) and dry eyes.
|
| Supposedly, it's important to keep blinking regularly as well,
| which I think I do too.
|
| I guess the only option might be to switch to no-backlight
| screens (eInk or LCDs with reflective screens), but they are
| pretty expensive for an experiment in any decent size.
| Traubenfuchs wrote:
| 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.
| justsomehnguy wrote:
| This is all nice and all but if you don't change you pillow-
| case everyday (every other in the worst case) then you are just
| wasting time and money.
|
| Sound ridiculous at first (who doesn't change them often?!) but
| many doesn't have a rigid schedule to change the bed and if
| something happens (tired, absent minded, bar etc) it quickly
| starts to accumulate.
| Traubenfuchs wrote:
| Daily pillow case changing did nothing for me. What's the
| science behind it?
|
| Mites, mite feces? In that case, if it's an allergy,
| loratadin or cetirizine might be the solution.
| tehnub wrote:
| 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/...
| meling wrote:
| I've used MacBreakZ for four years after having shoulder
| problems. Sounds similar, but I'll check your app later.
|
| https://www.publicspace.net/MacBreakZ/
| blenderdt wrote:
| 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.
| treeman79 wrote:
| Dry eyes can be a symptom of an autoimmune condition. Was shocked
| to discover that it was an early symptom that I had been ignoring
| for 10 years.
| o_____________o wrote:
| How did you end up discovering the full issue?
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