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Digital Eye Strain - Computers, Screens and Phone

Digital-related eye strain can affect anyone who spends hours a day using digital devices. You might experience headaches, vision blurring, achy eyes, feel grittiness as well as tired eyes. You may also find your eyes become dry with tearing or stinging. This eye strain is the same as the symptoms you may have when reading, writing or doing “close work” like sewing for long periods of time.

So what can we do about digital eye strain?
Here are some tips to help relieve your eyes:

1. Use correction glasses for you.
Ensure you have the right power/prescription in your glasses to suit your purpose

2. Blink.
Make a conscious effort to blink. This keeps the surface of your eyes from drying out.

3. Use lubricants.
Use artificial tears to refresh your eyes.

4. Take regular breaks - Follow the “20-20-20” Rule.
Take regular breaks using the “20-20-20” rule: every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds or at least 15-20mins break for every hour of screen time.

5. Consider using Computer Eyeglasses.
If you work on a computer for many hours at a time, computer eyeglasses reduces eye strain. These prescription glasses allow you to focus your eyes specifically at computer screen distance (intermediate distance, which is about 20-26 inches away from your face). Some of these glasses have multifocal lenses to help you quickly shift your focus between close, intermediate and far distances. Computer glasses for reducing eye strain are not the same as “blue light blocking” glasses.

6. Adjust Brightness and Contrast.
Adjust your screen brightness to match the level of light around you. Also, try increasing the contrast on your screen to reduce eye strain.

7. Reduce the Glare.
Try using a matte screen filter to cut glare.

8. Adjust Your Position at the Computer.
Sit about 25 inches (right about at arm's length) from the screen. Also, position the screen so your eye gazes slightly downward, not straight ahead or up.

9. Use glasses instead of Contact Lens
Use of contact lens increases dryness and irritation. Give your eyes a break, reduce these symptoms by wear eyeglasses instead when working on a computer for longer periods.​