• Wear your stress relieving lenses during your near-point activities.

•  Do all near point activity at the Harmon distance. The Harmon distance is the distance from the center of the middle knuckle to the center of the elbow measured on the outside of the arm.

•  Be AWARE of: 1) the whole page while reading, 2) the space between you and your book, 3)where you are on the page and where the next line starts. Practice the same awareness while walking in the house and outdoors while you look straight ahead. See how far to your side, above, and below you can notice things.

•  When reading or working at the computer, occasionally look off at a specific distant object and ALLOW its details to come into focus. Maintain awareness of other objects and details that surround them. Do this at the end of each page you read or after 15-20 minutes of computer work.

•  When studying, place a book mark 3 to 4 pages ahead. Get up and move around, get a drink. After a minute or so, get back to work. Replace the book mark. If you are on the computer, do this after every 20 minutes. Another option is to do some “chair” calisthenics.

•  Avoid reading while lying on your stomach – ths usually causes you to hold your reading too close. Keep your head and shoulders straight in front of your reading material or your computer, rather than off to the side. Avoid glare on your computer screen.

•  Tilt the book 20 degrees. You can purchase sloped writing desks online for more ergonomic reading and writing.

•  Do not sit any closer than 6 to 8 feet from the television. Be sure to sit up straight and maintain good posture. Only watch one 30 minute program at a time.

•  When riding in the car, avoid solely reading and other near activity. Encourage looking at sights in the distance for interest and identification.

•  Encourage outdoor play or sport activities that require seeing beyond arm’s length. When outdoors, sight a distant object at about eye level. At the same time, be aware of where things are on all sides.