Prolonged use of digital devices and computers has led to an increased number of people with digital eye strain. Learn how you can protect your or your child’s eyes and keep your vision healthy.
John stayed home for the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent most of his day glued to his laptop and smartphone, only taking a break every couple of hours. Unfortunately, John had been experiencing increasing eye fatigue, redness, dryness, and some back problem. After consulting his doctor, he learned that these symptoms are due to Digital Eye Strain.
What is digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome?
Digital Eye Strain (DES), also known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), is a group of eye and vision-related problems caused by prolonged usage of digital devices such as computers, tablets, e-readers, and smartphones. As many of us are tethered to our devices for the majority of the day during this digital age, the unfortunate consequence of our over-reliance on technology led to an increase in digital eye strain.
Recent estimates reported that at least 60% of men and 69% of women in the United States suffer from digital eye strain symptoms. This prevalence has been exasperated due to the increased usage of digital devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this pandemic has also driven the prevalence of DES in children up to 50-60%, with the combination of digital learning and reduced outdoor time being the main contributing factors.
Symptoms of digital eye strain include:
1) Eyes-related symptoms, such as irritation or burning eyes, dry eyes, eye strain, headache, tired eyes, and sensitivity to bright light;
2) Focus-related symptoms, such as blurred near or distance vision after computer use, difficulty refocusing from one distance to another, or diplopia;
3) Extraocular or non-eye symptoms, such as headache, neck or shoulder pain, back pain, and other musculoskeletal symptoms.
What is the cause of digital eye strain?
Digital eye strain is a condition that can be caused by the extended use of digital devices, particularly among office workers who use computers regularly or children learning remotely. It is also caused by dry eye or ocular surface-related issues, reduced blinking, uncorrected refractive errors, medication, age, and various other environmental factors.
Studies have found that when you blink less often, which reduces the spreading of your tears across your eye, it can lead to digital eye strain. Device-related risk factors include the type of digital device being used, screen size, and resolution. Additionally, DES was found to be aggravated by uncorrected refractive errors (especially astigmatism), vision-focus-related abnormalities, uncorrected presbyopia, and dry eye.
Computer users who view display screens for more than 4 hours a day are more likely to experience symptoms than those who use them for less time. Contact lens wearers are also more likely to experience these symptoms than non-wearers. Additionally, the blue light emitted from digital devices has been linked to DES and other eye problems; however, there is no evidence that blue light is able to damage the eye.
How to prevent or manage digital eye strain
To properly manage digital eye strain, experts recommend it is important to understand the symptoms and underlying physiology, and take measures to reduce the impact, including:
1) Reduce Screen Time: Reducing daily screen time to four hours, using proper ambient lighting, and taking frequent breaks can help manage digital eye strain. Outdoor activities should also be encouraged for children.
2) The 20-20-20 Rule: When taking eye breaks, it is important to use the 20-20-20 rule, which involves taking a 20-second break from looking at a screen and looking at a distant object situated 20 feet away every 20 minutes.
3) Digital Device Use: The screen should be positioned 20 inches away from the eyes and lower than eye level. The brightness should be adjusted such that the light from the screen matches the surrounding space. Anti-glare screens and a legible font of size 12 or larger should also be used. Monitor screen usage and reduce time spent on devices. Glasses with anti-reflective coating should be used for refractive correction.
4) Use Lubrication: Dryness is a significant cause of digital eye strain, so lubricating eye-drops can help relieve symptoms such as dryness, tiredness, and difficulty focusing. Blinking more can also help spread tear film and lubricate the eyes.
5) Source of light: Blue light-filtering eyewear was found to reduce eye fatigue during two hours of computer use. Software programs or smartphone settings to change the color of the screen according to the time of day can further reduce fatigue associated with prolonged screen use.
6) Omega-3: Eating foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish or nuts, may also help improve dry eye symptoms.
By taking these measures, people at high risk for digital eye strain can reduce their symptoms and maintain healthy vision.
Key takeaways
It's important to understand the signs and causes of digital eye strain and how to prevent and manage it. Taking regular breaks, lubricating eye-drops, and wearing blue light-filtering eyewear can help reduce fatigue from prolonged screen use. Additionally, having an ergonomic workspace and consuming food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can also help.
With these tips in mind, you can protect your or your child’s eyes and maintain healthy vision during this digital age.
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