Much of our lives are spent using digital devices these days. Digital devices are often the first thing we see in the morning and the last thing we see at night, so we need to adjust how we use them to protect our eye health and vision.
Although there is no cure for the strain we feel on our eyes from digital devices, we can mitigate symptoms by being aware and changing our habits.
When we use digital devices for multiple hours a day, our eyes begin to get tired and can cause discomfort. It’s essential to know what signs of strain to look for in order to avoid it.
Digital eye strain is the discomfort and fatigue you experience from prolonged exposure to digital screens. Symptoms of digital eye strain include headaches, sore neck and shoulder muscles, dry eye, blurred vision, and sore eyes.
If you have an uncorrected vision problem such as myopia or hyperopia, it can mean your eyes are forced to work harder to see clearly. Regularly visiting your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam can help to identify refractive errors and provide corrective treatment.
Inefficient device usage can also significantly contribute to discomfort and eye strain. If you are spending extended periods of time on digital devices without adequate breaks, do not have a comfortable workstation, or view your devices in poor lighting or too close to your face, you may begin to experience digital eye strain.
Although you cannot completely avoid digital eye strain, you can significantly decrease your chances of experiencing symptoms by adjusting your device usage habits. Please book an appointment, so we can help you mitigate your symptoms and rule out the possibility that they are caused by something more serious.
When using digital devices, keep them about an arm’s length away from your face and about 20 degrees below eye level. Make sure the room you’re using the device in is well-lit and limit the glare on your screen. Regularly wipe your screen of dust and fingerprints, and keep screens or paperwork at the same eye level.
When using digital devices for long periods, it is important to give your eyes a break. Try to follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to focus on an object 20 feet away to allow your eye muscles to stretch and adjust.
Additionally, remember to blink! When using digital devices, we tend to blink significantly less than usual.
If you would like to discuss digital eye strain and treatment, please book an appointment for more information.
You can find us on the corner of Bridge Street and Victoria Drive.
Call, email, or use our online form to request an appointment today!
We are a locally-owned, independent practice that truly cares about finding you a product that helps you see and feel better. We source from an extensive list of suppliers to ensure you have a variety of quality products to choose from.
We offer designer and functional eyewear for every budget, prescription and non-prescription sunglasses, common and specialty contact lenses, dry eye therapy products, and protective safety eyewear. We also have an on-site lab, allowing us to shorten the turnaround time for most eyeglasses.
Valley Family Optometry
