QUESTION: What can I do for computer/digital eye strain?
ANSWER:
In a previous FAQ, I listed the symptoms of computer eye strain which are caused by staring at an electronic device for a long time. The symptoms are:
- Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
- Watery or dry eyes
- Blurred or double vision
- Headache
- Sore neck, shoulders or back
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling that you cannot keep your eyes open
- It’s not from the blue light (the research done on this is only being done on mice). Blue light has only been linked to causing an interruption in the sleep cycle (more about that in a comment below).
Will this cause permanent damage to my eyes in other ways?
From the Mayo Clinic article: ‘Eyestrain doesn’t have serious or long-term consequences, but it can be aggravating and unpleasant. It can make you tired and reduce your ability to concentrate.’
and
“Extended use of computers and other digital devices is one of the most common causes of eyestrain. The American Optometric Association calls this computer vision syndrome, or digital eyestrain. People who look at screens two or more hours in a row every day have the greatest risk of this condition.”
What can you do to alleviate the symptoms from computer/digital eye strain?
From the article ‘Computer eye strain: 10 steps for relief’:
- make sure you have proper lighting. We know that those with AMD need more light than before;
- minimize glare. Is there light coming in from outside that is reflecting on your screen? You can close the curtains to reduce that. You can get a non-glare cover from your screen;
- how old is your computer monitor? LCD screens are easier on the eyes;
- adjusting the display settings: is the text large enough? Is the screen bright enough?
- blink more often! Every 20 minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep (very slowly). This will help re-wet your eyes;
- exercise your eyes: look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Some eye doctors call this the “20-20-20 rule.” Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.
- take frequent breaks;
- is your workspace set up for ease of use?
- Have you talked to your eye specialist about the coatings available for your eyeglasses?