*Experts proffer practical ways for consumers to avoid or treat digital eye strain resulting from symptoms as a headache, dry or uncomfortable eyes, and blurry vision, as an occupational hazard in a digital society

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

If your job involves sitting in front of a screen all day, there鈥檚 a good chance your eyes are paying the price.

After hours of e-mails, video calls, and spreadsheets, you may be left with symptoms, as such as a headache, dry or uncomfortable eyes, and blurry vision.

Dr. Douglas Wisner, Chief of Cataract and Primary Eye Care at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, United States (US), said: “It鈥檚 an occupational hazard in a digital society.”

Why do these visual symptoms happen, and are they cause for concern? Here鈥檚 what to know, courtesy of TIME.

Why does looking at screens cause blurry vision?

There are two main reasons, says Amy Watts, Director of Vision Rehabilitation at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital.

First, you blink much less than normal when you鈥檙e focusing on a screen, which dries out the eyes.

Watts explained: 鈥淵our eyelids are like your windshield wipers on your car.

“They鈥檙e making sure that the surface is smooth and clear.”

When you鈥檙e not blinking as much, it鈥檚 as if raindrops are accumulating on your windshield, making it harder to see.

Second, the muscles in your eyes get tired after hours of training your focus on a fixed point.

Watts also noted: “All of these muscles have to work just perfectly鈥� in order to see clearly.”

According to experts, these muscles get tired as the day goes on, and vision slips as a result.

These issues can lead to temporarily blurred vision and a range of other symptoms, including headaches as well as redness, itchiness, fatigue, or general discomfort in the eyes.

How can I avoid or treat digital eye strain?

Taking visual breaks throughout your work day is the most important thing you can do.

Experts often suggest following the 20/20/20 rule, which says that every 20 minutes, you should look at least 20 feet into the distance for 20 seconds or longer.

However, recent research has suggested that even the 20/20/20 method may not be enough to avoid digital eye strain, and that longer breaks鈥攕ay, a five-minute break every hour鈥攎ay be better.

The Director of Vision Rehabilitation at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital further stated: “Overall, the message is: take a break and don鈥檛 focus on a computer screen for eight hours.

鈥淚t helps to relax your focus and let those muscles take a little break.鈥� (Short breaks are also a great opportunity to get up, stretch, and move, which can improve overall health.)

Eye drops can also help counter the dryness that comes from reduced blinking, Watts said.

According to the expert, you can use eye drops to treat symptoms you鈥檙e already experiencing, but they work best when used preventively.

If you know you tend to get blurry vision at the end of the day, put in drops every few hours throughout the day.

Just make sure you鈥檙e using preservative-free products, as drops with preservatives can irritate the eyes, she says.

Finally, make sure your lighting is bright and your screens are clean, Watts says.

A dirty or smudged screen makes it harder for your eyes to focus, so they fatigue faster.

What about blue-light glasses?

Is it worth wearing glasses that claim to block the blue light from digital devices?

Steven Reed, President of the American Optometric Association, remarked: “The best I can say is it doesn鈥檛 hurt.”

It is, nonetheless, noted that there鈥檚 not much data on these products, and studies that have been published suggest they don鈥檛 do much to alleviate eye strain.

While you probably don鈥檛 have to shell out money for blue-light glasses, Dr. Wisner says it is worth limiting screen time before bed, since using devices at night can interfere with sleep.

He noted: 鈥淣ot getting good sleep is also a cause of chronic fatigue and then eye strain.

鈥淚t all builds on itself.鈥�

Should I be concerned about digital eye strain?

Don鈥檛 worry too much, Wisner says.

Most of the time, digital eye strain is not a signal of a major issue or damage, but rather an understandable side effect of using your eyes in a way they were not designed to work.

Dr. Wisner also opined: “For hundreds and thousands of years, we weren鈥檛 doing these things to our bodies: sitting at a desk and staring at a computer or reading all day long.

鈥淥ur bodies were not adapted for this.鈥�

That said, regular, persistent, or severe eye strain can be a sign of underlying vision problems, Reed says, so it鈥檚 worth getting checked out if the symptoms are bothersome or don鈥檛 clear up through simple solutions like breaks and eye drops. There may be a relatively quick fix, like using over-the-counter reading glasses or tweaking a prescription you already have, Wisner stated.

And if your children complain of symptoms like blurry vision and eye discomfort after using devices, take them seriously, Reed, President of the American Optometric Association, averred.

Some studies equally suggested that screen use could contribute to myopia, or nearsightedness, among children whose eyes are still developing, so it鈥檚 worth getting any symptoms checked out by a doctor, Reed said.

Kindly Share This Story