How Digital Eye Strain Affects Your Long-Term Vision and How to Prevent It

Digital eye strain is something that virtually everyone is at risk of. With the average screen time in the USA being an eye-watering 7 hours 4 minutes per day, knowing both the short- and long-term effects is something that we all need to be aware of and take steps to avoid.  

Everything You Need to Know About Digital Eye Strain and Prevention

• What is digital eye strain?
• The link between screen time and eye health—and how it can affect long-term vision

What is digital eye strain?

Digital eye strain—sometimes referred to as computer vision syndrome—is an umbrella term for a range of symptoms and issues that are caused primarily by looking at some form of digital screen. This includes computers, tablets, cell phones, TVs, game consoles… Any digital device is a culprit.

 Signs and symptoms of digital eye strain include:

• Tired eyes.
• Eye discomfort.
• Tearing.
• Red eyes.
• Itching.
• Blurred and/or double vision.
• Headaches.
• Neck and shoulder pain.

The link between screen time and eye health—and how it can affect long-term vision problems

Screen use promotes a variety of unnatural behaviors. One of the most prevalent is reduced blinking, which equals less natural lubrication (tears). Others include:

• Adopting an unnatural posture. 
• Focusing on a single distance for excessive periods, unlike regular vision where the eyes constantly need to adjust to focus on near, mid, and far objects.

Over time, uncorrected digital eye strain has the potential for a more permanent impact on eyesight and health. This is increased if any vision issues are uncorrected—or if a current prescription is inadequate for your needs.

Ignoring digital eye strain may raise the chance of long-term problems, such as:

• Speeding up the progression of myopia in children.
• Ongoing issues with dry eyes.
• Exacerbation of any existing eye conditions, including glaucoma and cataracts.
• Musculoskeletal issues, such as back and shoulder pain.
• Ongoing headaches.
• Interrupted sleep due to excessive blue light exposure

Everything You Need to Know About Digital Eye Strain and Prevention

• More about blue light effects on vision 
• Digital eye strain prevention: 5 everyday tactics 

More about blue light effects on vision 

Exposure to the blue light emitted by digital screens is detrimental to both eyesight and overall health.

Excessive exposure over time can potentially cause:

• Retinal cell damage: Leading to conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Contribute to the formation of cataracts: Perhaps speeding up the rate at which they form.
• Potentially play a role in increased eye cancer risks: Such as ocular melanoma—although more research is currently needed to definitively prove this.

Blue light from screens also plays havoc with other bodily functions, such as circadian rhythms and associated sleep patterns. In turn, this disruption affects whole body health, raising the risk of other mental and physical conditions.

Digital eye strain prevention: 5 everyday tactics

Thankfully, there is much that can be done to reduce the effects of digital eye strain. Easy steps include:

1. The 20:20:20 rule: When using a screen, look away from it at least every 20 minutes, focusing on something 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.
2. Take regular breaks: For every 2 hours of use, have at least 15 minutes away from the screen.
3. Ensure a correct screen position: This should be at about arm’s length from the body with the center of the screen around 4-5” below eye level.
4. Blink often: Very important to keep your eyes well-lubricated. Use artificial tears/eye drops if necessary.
5. Optimal lighting and text size: Use screens in a well-lit environment and increase the size of the text to make it easy to read.

You should also wear any prescribed eyeglasses or contact lenses. You should also limit screen use in the 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Last, but certainly not least, be sure to have regular eye examinations to keep your eyes in the best of health.

Worried About Digital Eye Strain? Book an Eye Exam at the West Boca Eye Center Today

Regular eye checks are key for great visual health. At the WBEC, we champion proactive vision care—and the only way to do this is to attend routine eye examinations. These annual or bi-annual appointments aren’t just about monitoring eye conditions or altering a prescription (both of which are, of course, vital for great eyesight), it’s also the opportunity for your ophthalmologist to ensure that issues, such as digital eye strain, are addressed at the earliest opportunity.

Book your appointment today at https://www.westbocaeyecenter.com/