March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, and it’s a great time to check in on your eye health! With more people than ever staring at screens for hours each day, digital eye strain has become a reality for many of us. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at digital eye strain, including the symptoms, common causes, and prevention tips.
What is digital eye strain?
Digital eye strain (also known as computer vision syndrome) is a group of symptoms caused by excessive use of digital devices such as computers and tablets. Symptoms can include headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, dry eyes, and neck/shoulder pain. People who spend two or more hours a day looking at screens are most likely to experience digital eye strain.
Common causes of digital eye strain
Several factors contribute to digital eye strain, including:
- Poor lighting conditions, such as bright overhead lights or glare from windows
- Improper viewing distance (sitting too close or too far away from the screen)
- Incorrect posture while using the device, such as not sitting up straight
- Uncorrected vision problems
- Not taking enough breaks from looking at the screen
Preventing digital eye strain
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of experiencing digital eye strain:
- Adjust monitor settings so the brightness matches your work environment.
- Take frequent breaks throughout the day. Try the 20-20-20 rule: look away from the screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds and focus on an object at least 20 feet away.
- Blink often during screen time to prevent dry eyes.
- Maintain proper posture while using your device. Keep your head and neck aligned instead of slouching forward or craning your neck up or down.
Don’t forget to schedule eye exams
Taking steps to prevent digital eye strain can help us stay healthy when using our devices for long periods each day. That said, no amount of prevention measures can replace regular comprehensive eye exams with an optometrist, so make sure you schedule exams regularly! Doing so will help ensure that any underlying vision issues are caught before they lead to bigger problems down the line.
It’s clear that our reliance on technology has had an impact on our physical health, including our eyes! If you’re experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain, don’t hesitate to schedule an eye exam at our office in Newport.
