Digital Eye Strain

Technology has changed a great deal over the years and will only continue to become more prevalent. In today’s world, most people are spending the majority of their time on a digital device. A number of jobs require working strictly on a computer all day. On break, someone might play on their smartphone. Later, when they get home, they might turn on the TV or browse the Internet on their tablet. Unfortunately, screens can cause digital eye strain, eye fatigue, and ocular surface irritation also known as dry eyes.  But the good news is there are several ways to help reduce this strain.  One example is the 20/20/20 rule. If your eyes feel tired, sore, you want to close your eyes, or are having fluctuation in vision; a proper eye examination can help alleviate these signs and symptoms. If you need optometry care from an “optometrist near me,” visit us at University Eye Associates, serving Charlotte, NC, Harrisburg (Rocky River), NC, Davidson, NC, and University, NC.

What Is the 20/20/20 Rule?

With this rule, every twenty minutes you should take a 20-second break (or longer) and look at something roughly 20 feet away. So, if you’re in an office, you might focus on a poster on the far wall for at least 20 seconds. Resting your eyes like this, and looking at objects that are farther away than your screen may help reduce the strain on your eyes.

Other Ways of Helping with Digital Eye Strain

There are several other ways you can help reduce digital eye strain. For example, blinking several times throughout the day can help improve the ocular surface and reduce fluctuations in your vision.  When we spend time working on screens or are extremely focused on a task, our blink rate decreases significantly. Over the counter and prescription eye drops can help improve the ocular surface. Other steps can include reducing the brightness of your screen, softening the lighting in the room to minimize glare, and placing the computer at arm’s length. If these small changes do not make an impact on your eyestrain, please come in for a proper eye examination.

Get Eye Care from an Optometrist on Our Optometry Team for Digital Eye Strain

If you need help with any eye issues near you and live in or near Charlotte, NC, (704) 536-6042 Harrisburg (Rocky River), (704) 896-9090 Davidson, NC, and (704) 547-1551 University, NC, call us at University Eye Associates. We are here to help you and keep your eyes feeling comfortable, even during different activities.