Digital screens have become an integral part of our daily life, be it for work, education or entertainment. Spending too much time on digital screens can result in blurry vision, dry eyes, computer eye strain, eye discomfort, or pain in your head, neck and shoulders. Eye twitching and red eyes are the other symptoms of viewing digital screens for a prolonged period.
According to the Vision Council of America, symptoms of computer eye strain or digital eye strain are found in 59 per cent of people who routinely use digital devices. When engaged in activities that demand intense concentration such as using a computer you will be blinking 66 per cent less frequently. This will increase the chances of causing eye strain or drying out of your eyes. You may not be able to limit the amount of time staring at a computer screen due to work obligations.
In this blog, we discuss some important things you should know to be more comfortable while spending time on digital screens and reduce your risk of digital eye strain.
How does screen time affect your eyes?
Most people aren’t aware of how much screen time is healthy for eyes. Your eyes normally blink about 15 to 20 times in a minute and the tears are spread evenly over the eyes. When reading, watching or playing on a digital screen you blink less than half as often which results in your eyes getting dry and irritated. In addition to this, it will also be hard for your eyes to withstand the screen glare and flickering from digital screens.
How to Prevent Digital Eyestrain
It is impossible to prevent digital eye strain by reducing the screen time you take for work or education. You can make it easier for your eyes by making a few changes to the way you use your devices.
Ensure Ideal Viewing Distance
You should maintain an arm’s length or about 25 inches distance between your eyes and computer screen. The center of the screen should be between 10 and 15 degrees below your eyes.
Use Screen Filters
Getting a matte screen filter for all your computers, phones and tablets helps in cutting glare that can cause various eye problems.
Take Regular Breaks
It is important that you follow the 20-20-20 rule of looking at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes. For every 2 hours, you spend on your devices you should take a longer break of about 15 minutes.
Vision Therapy for Digital Eyestrain
Vision therapy is an effective program for treating digital eye strain. Research has found that symptoms associated with digital eye strain can be significantly improved by vision therapy exercises. The best vision therapy near me can help you learn how to improve your visual skills by training your eyes and brain to work together. The binocular vision can be improved by vision therapy exercises that target eye movement skills, eye focusing skills and eye teaming skills.
Keep Your Eyes Hydrated
When your eyes feel dry, you can refresh and give a break from staring at the screen by using artificial tears prescribed by the best eye specialist near me. Eye drops can also help you blink a few times and produce some natural tears in your eyes. Your eye doctor can recommend you the best possible drops depending on your lifestyle and environment. You may also consider setting up a humidifier in the room where you most often use a computer or other device.
Ensure Optimal Lighting
You should make sure that your device screen is brighter than the surroundings. The room you are using your device in should be ensured with sufficient lighting. You should also reduce the brightness of the monitor to dry and tired eyes by the end of your workday. The screen brightness reflection onto your eyes makes you squint to see what you could previously see more easily.
Rely on prescription eyeglasses while using a computer
You can prevent your eyes from eye strain and damage caused bright light of electronic screens by using prescription eyeglasses that combine anti-glare and blue light filters. It is recommended to use your prescribed eyeglasses with anti-glare and blue light instead of wearing your contact lenses, especially while on a computer screen. The oxygen supply to your eyes will be less when wearing contact lenses and this combined with less blinking elevates strain, irritation, pain and dryness. If you have dry eyes you will not be fully satisfied with the comfort of contact lenses due to the vision fluctuations.
Blink more often
Hydrating substances like tears and mucus are spread across your eyes through blinking. Reduced blinking can cause the tears on your eyes to evaporate easily, thus leading to red and dry eyes.
Get regular eye exams
Getting regular eye examinations by an eye specialist near you can help you stay ahead of any symptoms of digital eye strain and detect any underlying visionproblems.
Make sure your eyes, vision, and overall health are protected from the effects of digital screens. Book an appointment with us for a comprehensive eye exam.