Digital Eye Strain

We all know that sitting at your desk staring at your computer screen all day isn’t healthy for your body. But have you thought about what it does to your eyes? Digital eye strain is eye and visual related problems after prolonged computer use. This condition doesn’t just occur because of computer use; it can actually occur with any digital device including video games and handheld devices.

The symptoms of digital eye strain include headaches, dry eyes, back and neck pain, tired and/or sore eyes, fatigue, blurred vision and sometimes double vision. If you spend two hours or more using a computer or digital device, you are likely to develop one or more of these symptoms. To avoid digital eye strain you can try the following tips:

Blink often – Blinking allows your eyes to refresh and not dry out.

Follow the 20/20/20 Rule – Every 20 minutes rest your eyes for 20 seconds and look 20 feet away. This gives your eyes a break and allows them to focus at a further distance.

Ensure Proper Lighting – This does not mean have your room/office as bright as you can get it. Instead, try dimming the lights because this will cause less glare on your computer screen.

Adjust Your Work Area – Rearranging your work area to allow better posture could eliminate the symptoms especially neck and back pain. You could also adjust your computer screen, font size and screen contrast to reduce eye strain.

Wear Your Glasses – If you have eye glasses, make sure you wear them. You need to have annual eye doctor visits and have the doctor adjust your glasses to view a computer screen. There is also digital eyeware you can use to reduce eye strain.

If you have any of these symptoms make sure to notify your eye doctor. If you are not having any problems, still make sure your doctor knows how often you use digital devices.