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6 Things You Can Do to Relieve Digital Eye Strain

June 15, 2020

Relive Digital Eye Strain

Whether it’s staring at your work computer for hours at a time or simply scrolling through your favorite pictures in the comfort of your home, staring at a screen is a normal part of our twenty-first century lives.

Unfortunately, all this screen time can cause Digital Eye Strain and can lead to long-term damage to our eyesight.

According to research by The Vision Council, “About 80 percent of American adults report using digital devices for more than two hours per day with nearly 67 percent using two or more devices simultaneously, and 59 percent report experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain.”

The effects not only impact our eyesight – staring at a screen for too long can result in dry, irritated eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and even neck and shoulder pain.

Yet despite all these negative side effects from screen use, “only 20.5 percent report having an annual eye exam and discussing their digital device usage with their eyecare provider.”

To alleviate the negative side effects our screens can have on us, here are six steps you can take today.

1. Dim the lights

Often times, our screens are automatically programmed to have bright lighting, but this dramatic illumination can shine too much blue light into our eyes and even cause headaches. Consider dimming your screen to match the brightness with your surroundings.

2. Enlarge your text size

The larger your text size, the less you have to strain your eyes to read on your screen, especially on your phone.

3. Take frequent breaks

The best way to reduce your screen’s damage is to not stare at it. Take advantage of this tip and take more frequent breaks.

4. Get computer glasses

These glasses dim the glare that the blue light of your screen emits. They are a particularly great option if you already wear contacts or work on a computer all day.

5. Blink often

When you stare at a screen, it’s not uncommon to forget to blink. This may sound overly simple, but blinking more can protect your eyes from irritation.

6. Get an eye exam

Of course, the most important thing to do to protect your eyes is to maintain regular care and visit your optometrist every year.

 

To learn more about what you can do or to schedule your annual eye exam, call us today at (619) 425-7755.

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