It is estimated that nearly 70 percent of American adults experience some form of eye discomfort after staring at computers, smartphones and other digital devices for long periods of time. This phenomenon is known as digital eyestrain. Although this type of eye strain does not cause any long-term or serious vision problems, it can make everyday life difficult. In this blog post, Dr. Linda Vu of Linda Vision shares more information on digital eyestrain including how to prevent it.
Symptoms of Digital Eyestrain
Symptoms of digital eyestrain typically occur among people who spend two or more hours at a time in front of a computer or other digital device. Common symptoms of digital eyestrain include:
- Eye fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Dry eye
- Neck and shoulder pains
- Sensitivity to light
- Eye irritation
- Excessive tearing
- Red eyes
How to Relieve Digital Eyestrain
Taking the following simple steps can minimize or relieve your digital eyestrain symptoms:
Adjust the lighting around you. Close the curtains to minimize outdoor light, or use lower intensity light bulbs.
Adjust your computer location. Your computer screen should be 20 to 24 inches from your eyes, with the center of the screen about 10 to 15 degrees below your eyes.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and gaze at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Take more breaks. Taking a walk or simply standing up and stretching your legs and arms more often can help minimize neck, back and shoulder pains.
Blink more often. This keeps your eyes moisturized and dry eye symptoms at bay.
Adjust your computer display settings. Making changes to the brightness, text size and contrast of your computer screen can make reading easier and more comfortable.
Minimize glare. Position your computer screen next to windows instead of in front or behind windows.
Schedule an Eye Exam with Dr. Vu
If you experience constant blurry vision, it is a good idea to get your eyes checked. You may not know it, but blurry or fuzzy vision can be a sign of an underlying eye problem. To schedule your appointment with Dr. Vu, please call Linda Vision at (626) 382-2020 today.