These days, it’s almost impossible to go without using a smartphone, tablet, computer or other digital device at least once during the day. Although tremendously useful, digital devices, when used for extended periods of time, can be tiring to the eyes. According to The Vision Council, nearly 70 percent of American adults experience some type of digital eyestrain after using a digital device for two or more hours at a time. The effects of digital eyestrain are not known to be serious or cause any long-term effects, but they can certainly cause discomfort to your eyes and vision. Here, the expert eye team at Visual Health shares more information on digital eyestrain, including how to prevent it from occurring.
Symptoms of Digital Eyestrain
Common symptoms of digital eyestrain include blurred vision, dry eyes, headaches, red eyes, and neck, shoulder or back pain. These symptoms tend to be temporary and go away once you spend some time away from the digital screen.
How to Prevent Digital Eyestrain
There are several ways you can prevent digital eyestrain while still enjoying your smartphone, tablet or computer. Here are a few tips:
Blink more often. Remind yourself to blink frequently. Staring at a computer nonstop can lead to dry eyes, redness and irritation.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break by looking at an object that is 20 feet away.
Adjust your computer monitor’s position. Avoid neck, shoulder and back pain by keeping your computer monitor at an optimal distance and position on your desk. The center of your computer screen should be about 15 to 20 degrees below eye level and at least 15 inches away from the eyes.
Consider computer glasses. If you experience blurry vision when working on your desk, your eye doctor can prescribe computer glasses for you. Not only do computer glasses help your eyes focus when looking at a computer screen, they also help reduce glare and eye strain.
Do you want more tips on how to prevent digital eyestrain? A member of our team would be happy to meet with you to share more tips or to discuss any vision concerns you may have. To schedule a consultation, please contact us at our Palm Springs office at (561) 964-0707 or our Jupiter office at (561) 747-1111.
