It’s a digital era, and we spent most of our time in front of the screen. Increased hours in front of the screen has led to the emergence of an eye condition- digital eye strain. Prolonged eye strain may affect our eyesight. Here is our article on how to reduce eye strain and protect our eyes health.
What Is Digital Eye Strain?
Eye strain is not a disease but a term used to describe symptoms that develop when our eyes get tired due to extended and intense use.
Eye strain caused due to too much use of Digital Devices is known as Digital Eye Strain. However, your eyes may also get irritated on intensely focusing on any activity such as driving or reading a book for a long time.
What Causes Eye Strain?
Today, the most common cause of eye strain is the extended use of laptops, smartphones, and other digital devices that use LED screens.
Other specific causes of eye strain include poor posture or inadequate lighting, or inadequate distance between while reading a book or viewing any digital device. In addition, eyes get tired and irritated if you fail to blink as often as normal.
How To Reduce Eye Strain
Temporary eye strain may not lead to eye damage or permanent consequences but reduces concentration and makes you feel tired. The discomfort reduces productivity.
However, prolonged eye strain is a matter of concern and should be discussed with your ophthalmologist. Your doctor may advise choose supplements such as Omega 3 fatty acids and bilberry extract to relief sign and symptom.
In general, through simple home solutions, eye strain can be treated and prevented.
What Are The Symptoms Of Eye Strain?
Eye strain symptom include:
- Sore and tired eyes
- Burning or itching eyes
- Watery
- Dry eyes
- Gritty sensation in eyes
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Sore neck,
- shoulders or back pain
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Headache
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Do not wanting to keep eyes open
Self-care Tips To Reduce Eye Strain
- Limit the time in front of the screen – You will have to limit the time you spend in front of digital devices. Eye strain happens when you focus too much on any activity for an extended period without taking a break. Avoid indulging in intense activity for extended hours. If you watch the screen for entertainment, avoid watching for long.
If you work online, follow the 20-20-20 rule. After 20 minutes of working online, take a break and look 20 seconds at a distance of 20 feet. Also, after every hour, take a break from viewing digital devices and allow your eyes to relax. - Balance your activities: If your work compels you to work on the screen for several hours or drive for long-distance try to balance the activity with other activities that relax your eyes instead of making them more tired. For example, once you are done with your work, instead of watching TV go for a walk.
- Proper lighting: If you are watching any digital device or reading a book in very bright light or dim light for a long, it causes eye strain depending upon the activity. If you are focused on reading something, the light should come from behind.
If you are working in front of a laptop or computer, the light should come from the sides. It is better to watch TV in dim light instead of bright light to reduce eye strain. In addition, it is essential to ensure that the screen you are viewing is lit adequately. Use filters and shading windows to reduce the glare of digital devices and adjust the brightness according to the need. - Correct position: While working in front of the screen, it is imperative that your position is proper and you are at the right distance from your device. Your screen should be at about an arm’s length from your eyes.
The level of screen should be at the level of your eyes. While reading or typing something on laptops and computers, enlarge the text on the screen and adjust text size. - Make sure to blink your eyes – Blinking eyes keep your eyes moisturized. Often while focusing on specific activities such as reading a book or watching the video, we blink less frequently than normal. This leads to dry eyes and irritation. To avoid dry eyes, blink your eyes as frequently as normal.
- Be regular with your routine eye exam: Most of us rushed to an ophthalmologist only when we have vision issues. However, it is essential to maintain routine eye exams so that your ophthalmologist can guide you on how to take care of your eyes.
If you spend a lot of time on your digital device, your doctor may suggest special eye wears for digital working distance. - Taking care of eye strain in children: Due to lack of knowledge and experience, children may assume the symptoms of eye strain normal and continue to watch digital devices for an extended time.
Being a parent, we must limit the screen time of child and indulge child into physical activities and their hobbies. For kids, online classes adjust the screen viewing, angle, lighting, brightness, and font size. - Check air quality – Polluted and dry environment and also the places with cooling and heating system can cause irritation to eyes. Use humidifier to improve the air. If you have eye strain better turn down the cooling and heating system.
The use of digital devices such as laptops, computers, tablets, and smartphones have impacted how we socially connect ourselves, shop, communicate, entertain and travel. Through digital technology, we can effortlessly access any information.
Increased connectivity offers to work and study online from home. Thus, it is tough to avoid screen time, but we can certainly reduce eye strain through the solutions discussed in the article. Your eyes make this world beautiful so take care of your eyes.
