Plagued by Digital Eye Strain? 5 Tips for Relief

Go ahead, guess how much time the average American adult spends on a screen each day?

Seven hours. That’s a lot of time staring at a glowing rectangle: your laptop, your phone, your tablet, your e-reader. All those hours add up and can eventually cause digital eye strain. Symptoms include eye irritation, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and headaches.

Digital eye strain occurs for a few reasons. You don’t realize it when it’s happening, but because the print you see on a screen consists of tiny pixels, your eyes are constantly focusing and refocusing to see the print clearly. All of this movement strains your eyes.

Screen contrast levels also contribute, as your eyes must work hard to read letters on the screen that have a low contrast level with their background.

And, when you look at a screen, you tend to blink about a third less than normal (and you may not close your eyes all the way as you focus on the screen), which means the surfaces of your eyes become more dried out.

Our team at Berkeley Heights Eye Group in New Providence, New Jersey, sees patients with digital eye strain all the time. Here are five tips for relief if digital strain plagues your eyes.

1. Use the 20-20-20 rule

How many times have you looked up from your screen in the past hour? The 20-20-20 rule helps you remember to take breaks. Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look at something at least 20 feet away. That helps your eyes relax and reduce the strain they’re under. 

Consider using a timer as you build this habit. Also, take longer breaks every hour or so.

2. Maintain good posture

Not only does good posture do wonders for your back, neck, and shoulders, but it can also reduce your eye strain. Remember to sit up straight during the day, with your monitor about an arm’s length away at or just below eye level. 

3. Adjust your screen settings

You can adjust the settings on your screen or device to make viewing easier on your eyes. Try to match the brightness of your screen to your surroundings to avoid a significant contrast. Increasing the text size on the screen can also help.

4. Remember to blink

Blinking keeps moisture in your eyes and prevents them from drying out. You probably don’t consciously think about blinking often, but when you focus on something, you blink less. If your eyes do dry out, artificial tears or other dry eye treatments can keep them lubricated.

5. Wear blue light glasses

Devices emit high levels of blue light. To keep prolonged exposure from contributing to eye strain, consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses to stop the light from reaching your eyes.

In the evenings, you can also enable a night mode or blue light filter feature on your screen to make your screen time easier on your eyes.

Implementing these tips can help relieve your digital eye strain. If you need a vision check or it’s time for your annual visit, our team at Berkeley Heights Eye Group is happy to help. Call our office or request an appointment online today.