In new Pixar animation Incredibles 2, the villain is a terrifying, anonymous figure known as the Screenslaver, who controls people by hypnotising them through screens. For what is ostensibly a children’s movie, it’s a chilling indictment of modern life: we are all, the film suggests, enslaved by our screens.

If that sounds a bit far-fetched, consider the fact that new research suggests that the average office worker spends almost 1,700 hours a year in front of a computer screen – the equivalent of more than 70 days, or 2.3 months.

“Computers are a relatively new concept – for millions now, staring at a screen all day is the norm,” said Katie McGeechan from ACUVUE, which commissioned the research.

“However if you look back just a few decades, far fewer of us would have spent the day looking into the same glowing rectangle, and when you add mobile phones into the mix, we’re putting our eyes through a lot every day.”

ACUVUE is a contact lens company, so they have a vested interest in highlighting the ways that screen time can affect our eyes. But it’s true that looking at screens for prolonged periods of time can cause eye strain and exacerbate existing eye problems.

It’s also believed by some scientists to affect the structure of the brain, and has even been linked to lower cardiovascular health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.

Of course, many of us have no choice but to use a computer at work, even if we’d rather not. But there are simple ways you can reduce your screen time. Read on…

These simple strategies will help you reduce your screen time at work