How to Save Your Eyes While Diamond Painting

Tell me if you can relate to this—when you break out your new Paint with Diamonds canvas, you lose all track of time. You easily end up spending hours at your crafting table and it only feels like a few minutes went by. But the more you're at it, the more you're starting to notice a problem. Your eyes hurt. They feel tired or sore. Maybe you even struggle and squint to see which diamond you're supposed to be using. But the last thing you want to do is have to give up Diamond Painting in order to get relief for your eyes. Thankfully, you don't have to.

Eye strain is something that many crafters and Diamond Painters experience. And it's normal to think you might have to cut back in order to save your eyes, but there are some tips and strategies you can use instead.

1. Look up every 20 minutes

One of the best ways to reduce eye strain and tired eyes is to take breaks. It's recommended that you take a Diamond Painting break every 20 minutes. Make sure you look away from your canvas and focus on some items that are farther away from your eyes.

You may also find it helpful to take a minute to look off in the distance every one in awhile between your 20-minute breaks too.

Not only do you want to look up during your break every 20 minutes, but it's also a great idea to stand up and stretch your neck and back or get some water 🥤. This can help you build some healthy habits into your Diamond Painting routine that will help you feel your best after long crafting sessions.

2. Wear magnifying glasses

Another way to reduce your eye strain when doing Paint with Diamonds is to wear magnifying 🔍 glasses. These stay attached to your head similar to a headband allowing you to keep your hands free for crafting. This setup also allows you to use them with your prescription glass if you have any.

In addition to the magnifying glasses, many options include a light as well. This can make it easier to see what diamond 💎 should be placed in each spot. A few of the members of our Paint With Diamonds Facebook Group recommends these:

3. Use a Light Box

Light boxes are another great tool to use when Diamond Painting. You place your canvas on the light box and the light helps make it easier to see everything.

There are many Diamond Painters that find they don't need a magnifying glass once they use a Light Box. You can see the difference that it can make in the image below.

There are many different products you can find. You'll want to pay attention to the size of the box based on the size of canvases that you use. You can also find light boxes that raise up to an angle. This can make it easier on your eyes, neck and wrist. ✍️

4. Use proper lighting

Even if you don't have a Light Box, you can benefit from improving the lighting in your craft area. Sitting near a window or adding extra lamps can help ease the strain on your eyes as you Diamond Paint.

There are plenty of options to choose from. You may want extra lamps around the room to brighten the entire area. Or, you may want to try a desk lamp that you can aim at the specific area of the canvas you're working on. You may also benefit from trying different lightbulbs to see if you can find what's easiest on your eyes.

5. Give eye yoga a try

You've probably heard about why it's important to stretch your back and neck when doing a lot of Diamond Painting, but have you tried going eye "stretches"? 👀 If you've never heard of this it might sound made up, but don't worry, it's a real thing.

Eye yoga is simply moving your eyes in specific directions that use their full range of motion. Doing these purposeful eye exercises can help reduce eye strain when Diamond Painting.

Make an eye appointment

If you're continuing to experience eye strain when using the tips above, it may be time for an eye appointment. While these strategies can help, they're not a replacement for an appointment with a professional eye doctor. It may be that you've experienced a change in your vision or that there's another health-related reason for your eye strain.

However, many people are able to find relief from making a few small changes like the ones shared above. 🤗 What has worked the best to help you reduce eye strain? Share in the comments below.