The problem started around 3 a.m. each day, when Kathy Higgins would spend five or six hours at her desk staring at a series of computer screens. Her university job overseeing research projects included keeping a close eye on the numbers and details on contracts, applications, and budgets. “My vision was so blurry, I couldn’t even see what was on the screen, and I was squinting so much that I couldn’t function,” Higgins said.
As her vision worsened, Higgins walked around and talked to members of her staff. She began planning personal meetings for the afternoon. But she started working on the computer late at night after her children slept. “If I had to continue working despite blurred vision, I would get migraines,” Higgins said.
Digital screens are pervasive not only in the workplace but also in our homes, schools and stores. According to the American Optometric Association, an estimated 104 million working-age Americans spend more than seven hours per day in front of a screen. All that screen time can take a toll.
Too much exposure to screens can cause dry or watery eyes, blurred vision and headaches. It can also cause myopia or nearsightedness in some people, especially children. Some technology workers start experiencing minor problems like dizziness when they look at screens for too long.
overworked eyes
One reason for the discomfort is that looking at a screen at close range for long periods of time causes the muscles that help the eyes to focus to become tight. “That muscle shouldn’t be tight all day. And if it does, it’s like trying to lift a light weight and hold it over your head for hours,” said Steven Reed, president of the American Optometric Association. “It’s not hard to pick up. But after a while, even if it is not a heavy load, your body gets tired.
Fortunately, exposure to blue light emitted from computer screens and devices does not cause permanent eye damage, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Still, symptoms can disrupt work, family time, and rest. As an optometrist in Mississippi, Reed sees patients who complain of frequent eye pain, headaches and blurred vision from computer use. He recommends getting your eyes checked and taking frequent breaks.
For Higgins, she was trying to accomplish work she couldn’t do when her eyes were too tired, cutting into the time she spent with her daughters on the weekends. “They would be playing together, and I wasn’t as engaged in what they were doing as I wanted to be,” she said.
Here are some tips from eye health professionals to reduce eye strain caused by devices.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule
Take a break every 20 minutes from sitting at the computer. During the break, focus your eyes on something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Stopping close-up work and looking at something from a distance gives tired, tight muscles time to relax.
“Fortunately, eye strain is temporary,” said Raj Maturi, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Midwest Eye Institute in Indianapolis, who serves as a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “The best way to avoid these symptoms is to take breaks from our screens or near work activities and use lubricating eye drops if necessary.”
People usually blink about 18 to 22 times per minute. But when looking at a screen, the rate drops to three to seven times per minute, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This is where eye drops come in. It’s good to move around and go outside, but when you don’t have time to go for a walk outside, frequent 20-second breaks can help.
Change your desk setup
Some people believe that using a larger computer monitor helps reduce eye fatigue. You can also increase the font size on your laptop, monitor or smartphone screen.
Higgins did all of the above after starting a new job as senior vice president at Stand Up to Cancer. Since she works remotely from home in Midlothian, Virginia, she got a 29-inch monitor and sits about three feet away from it, which is about a foot more than most office setups.
The changes helped. He still has the occasional foggy problem, but not as often. “When my day gets longer, like a 12-hour day, that’s when I start having vision problems again,” he said. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, sitting at an arm’s length from your screen and adjusting it so you’re looking slightly downwards can help reduce eye strain.
Be careful of product claims
Some products, such as blue light glasses, are marketed with claims that they will reduce digital eye strain, improve sleep, and prevent eye disease. But according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, several studies have shown that glasses are not very effective. It’s actually our interactions with digital devices that cause symptoms, not the small amounts of blue light coming from the screens, the group said.
extracurricular optics
After stepping away from the computer at work, many people find themselves reading or scrolling on a smartphone screen. It’s not just workers: kids are using laptops, tablets, and smart screens in school settings all day long.
Too much screen time or focusing on nearby objects can hasten the onset and progression of myopia, especially in children, said Ayesha Malik, MD, a pediatric optometrist in the department of ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He said that any person should stream the show on television instead of tablet to get relief from eye strain.
Children should follow the 20-20-20-2 rule, she said, which includes an extra “2” at the end to encourage 2 hours of outside play a day, which helps with eye development. “The reality is that most children are connected to screens all day long at school and at home. It becomes difficult to track the total number of hours,” Malik said. “Aim to spend no more than 20 minutes during any one session.”
sleeping deeply
Blue light from digital screens can increase alertness, so watching Netflix on an iPad or scrolling social media feeds in bed may make it difficult to get restful sleep.
To give your eyes and brain the rest they need, doctors recommend turning off screens one to two hours before bed. You can also set devices to “dark mode” in the evening to reduce the impact of bright lights. If you’re used to streaming videos at night, try listening to an audiobook or podcast instead.
