Digital eye strain occurs when one or more symptoms present themselves, caused by continued and prolonged use of a computer and other digital screens such as mobile phones and tablets. Eye strain can create discomfort for those who experience it.
Symptoms of digital eye strain:
- Struggling to keep eyes open
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Sore neck, shoulders or back
- Headache
- Blurred or double vision
- Watery or dry eyes
- Sore, tired, burning or itchy eyes.
You’re at risk of digital eye strain if you look at a screen (either on a computer or mobile device) for two or more hours in a row every day. You’ll be glad to know though, that there are steps you can take to alleviate your symptoms if you start experiencing anything mentioned above.
- Try to take regular breaks from your screen. It’s recommended that you should step away from your screen for around 5 minutes every hour. Or, try the 20-20-20 rule where every 20 minutes, you look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- Get an in-depth eye examination – for some people, wearing glasses whilst using a computer can help alleviate symptoms of digital eye strain. Your optometrist can carry out a thorough eye test to determine your prescription, as well as any underlying health conditions.
- Check lighting – ensure the lighting in the room you are working in is sufficient for you to easily see your screen. Don’t place your screen in front of a window.
- Adjust monitor – adjust your screen so that it’s the right height. The top of your screen should be roughly at eye level and it should be about an arm’s length away from you.
- Adjust screen settings – you can easily adjust screen settings to make text bigger, or adjust the brightness/contrast so that it’s comfortable for you.
You can book an in-depth eye examination with one of our expert optometrists at Optical Express.
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