Our digital devices have become an integral part of our daily lives. Whether we’re working, studying, shopping, or simply killing time, we tend to spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen or tablet. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has amplified this trend since we rely on technology to stay in touch with one another even when we’re social distancing.
Unfortunately, this heavy reliance on digital devices can lead to eye strain. Eye strain resulting from digital viewing has become so widespread that it even has its own name – computer vision syndrome.
It’s estimated that between 75% and 90% of people who use digital devices experience symptoms of computer vision syndrome, and if you spend more than two hours per day looking at screens, there’s a good chance that you’ve experienced them as well.
Why Do Digital Devices Cause Eye Strain?
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Our eyes react differently to digital screens than they do to reading from a piece of paper or other printed medium. This is related to a multitude of factors such as distance, lighting, contrast, blinking rate, and so on.
The following are some of the reasons why we experience eye strain when using digital devices:
- Glare and reflections from screens can cause our eyes to become fatigued;
- We may hold the screen too close, too far, or at an odd angle. The distance between the eyes and the screen is greater than when we’re reading a book;
- Compared to printed text, there’s also less contrast between the text and the background on a screen, and this further strains our eyes that keep trying to focus to make the text clear;
- Screen brightness of digital devices is hard on the eyes and also creates eye strain;
- Flickering causes eye strain because of the rapid fluctuations in light;
- Reading from a screen makes us squint more, and this strains our eyes and the muscles around them;
- Over time, looking at a digital screen can impair our capacity to shift our eyes toward each other in order to focus;
- When we look at a screen, we blink less, so our eyes get dry. Under normal circumstances, we blink about 15-20 times per minute which distributes tears evenly, preventing dryness and irritation. However, when looking at digital screens, we blink less than half as often.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of computer vision syndrome are tired eyes and blurred vision. Other symptoms include:
- It’s more difficult to focus;
- Your eyes are dry or watery;
- Your eyes feel itchy, sore or they burn;
- You’re experiencing tension and discomfort in your neck, back, or shoulders;
- You’re having trouble keeping your eyes open because of the discomfort;
- You get headaches after looking at digital screens.
Visit Your Eye Doctor
If you’re experiencing the symptoms listed above, the first step is to visit your eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam to rule out conditions like astigmatism or hyperopia (farsightedness). Your doctor will ask you a few questions regarding your present symptoms and medical history.
In order to get a better understanding of the possible causes, they’ll ask you to describe the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, what causes them, and whether or not particular actions have helped alleviate them. They’ll also inquire about how many hours you spend on digital devices per day and any changes you may have noticed in your symptoms.
You can prepare for the appointment by writing down your symptoms, possible triggers, and any medical information your doctor should know about, like other conditions and medications.
The best thing you can do to protect the health of your eyes is to visit your eye doctor once per year.
Get Computer Glasses
When you visit your eye doctor, ask them about computer glasses. If your job involves spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen, you might benefit from prescription computer glasses since they can reduce the amount of blue light that enters your eyes. This is especially true if you’ve been using contact lenses since they can dry your eyes and cause discomfort.
You should also consider getting glasses with anti-reflective (AR) coating. They provide the best viewing comfort.
Even if you don’t normally wear glasses, you can get non-prescription computer glasses. You’ll benefit from the added protection, and nowadays, there are a lot of stylish frames you can choose from, such as aviator, cat eye glasses, or round glasses with vintage vibes.
Optimize Your Workstation
Eye strain is often caused by working in excessively bright lights for extended periods. It’s possible that there’s too much light coming from the windows, that the interior lighting is too intense, or that the problem is caused by the brightness of your monitor. As a general guideline, your screen should be only slightly brighter than the light in your workspace.
If your desk is positioned directly in front of a window, it’s better to move it to avoid eye strain. Your eyes will constantly switch from the window to the monitor and readjust to the light intensity. You also don’t want to have a window behind you since it can cause glare. Ideally, windows should be to the side of your desk, and you can adjust your monitor to avoid glare.
The quality of your monitor also matters. You’ll want a model that’s anti-flicker, anti-glare, has good contrast, and high refresh rate. Your monitor should also be at least 25 inches away from your eyes and positioned 5 inches (10-15 degrees) below eye level.
Keeps Your Eyes Lubricated
Keeping your eyes lubricated is another good way to prevent eye strain from digital devices. Dry air from air conditioners and fans causes your eyes to dry out faster. If you must use air conditioning or a fan to stay cool, take frequent breaks.
You can also set a timer for twenty minutes. When the timer goes off, take a short break and blink ten times. As we explained at the beginning of this article, people tend to blink less often when using digital devices.
Artificial tears are an effective product specially designed to keep your eyes lubricated. Ask your eye doctor or a pharmacist for a recommendation. Artificial tears are available as eye drops and can be bought over the counter.