All of us have experiences digital eye strain at some point, but do you know how to protect your eyes?

Digital eye strain is caused from using a digital device for two hours or more at one time.   Devices that can cause digital eye strain include:

• Televisions
• Desktop & laptop computers
• Smartphones
• E-readers
• Tablets
• Gaming systems

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU HAVE DIGITAL EYE STRAIN?

Make sure to look out for these 5 key symptoms:

• Eye fatigue
• Headaches
• Red, dry or irritated eyes
• Back, neck and shoulder pain
• Blurred vision

WHAT CAN CAUSE DIGITAL EYE STRAIN?

Irritation and discomfort aren’t caused by only one event or behavior. Small print and pixelated images on digital devices make it difficult to read and cause strain on the eyes when trying to focus as well as holding a device at the wrong angle or too far away can also cause strain. Another cause of digital eye strain is blue light. Blue light doesn’t have has long of a wavelength as other colors and causes strain on the eye especially when using devices because digital devices emit blue light more than any other color.

It is possible that blue light contributes to vision problems such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Also, if you wear prescription eyewear, digital eye strain can be exacerbated because corrective lenses aren’t often intended for seeing the mid-distance range of electronics or computers.

HOW TO PREVENT DIGITAL EYE STRAIN

The best way to prevent digital eye strain is by limiting how much digital media that you use. A lot of Americans cannot – or will not – reduce their screen time, here are other ways to lessen the impact on your eyes.

Make sure you’re paying attention to the warning signs. Your best indicators are your eye, neck, shoulders, and head. When they start to hurt, eye strain may be occurring, before it gets that far, try these tips to prevent digital eye strain from happening in the first place:

• Make sure you keep a good amount of distance between your eyes and the screen in front of you
  • Computer: arm’s length as if you were to high five your screen
  • Hand-held devices: just below eye level at a distance that it is comfortable to read the screen
• Reduce glare by adjusting the brightness on your device and changing the background to a white or cool gray
• Clean your screen making sure its dust-free & smudge-free, helping reduce glare
• Make reading more comfortable by adjusting the size of the text
• Get a pair of computer glasses – Not all computer glasses are prescription, some merely have an anti-reflection coating to help reduce stain on the eyes
• BLINK BLINK BLINK – blinking prevents your eyes from getting dry and helps them refocus
• Take a break every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for 20-seconds – the 20-20-20 rule