The problems began each day around 3 p.m., after Kathy Higgins spent five to six hours staring at multiple computer screens at her desk. Her work at the university, overseeing research projects, involved scrutinizing the numbers and details of contracts, bids and budgets. “My vision was so blurry, I couldn’t even see what was on the screen, and I was squinting so bad I couldn’t function,” Higgins said.
As her vision deteriorated, Higgins walked around and talked to the staff. She began planning personal meetings in the afternoon. But she resumed working on the computer late at night after her children went to bed. “If I had to continue working through blurry vision, that’s when a migraine would happen,” Higgins said.
Digital screens are widespread not only at work, but also in our homes, schools and shops. According to the American Optometric Association, about 104 million Americans of working age spend more than seven hours a day in front of screens. All that screen time can take its toll.
Excessive screen time can lead to dry or watery eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. It can also lead to myopia or myopia in some people, especially children. Some tech workers even describe brief bouts of vertigo when they stare at a screen for too long.
Congested eyes
One reason for the discomfort is that staring intently at screens for long periods of time causes the muscle that helps focus the eyes to strain. “This muscle shouldn’t stay tight all day. And when that happens, it’s like picking up a light weight and trying to hold it over your head for hours,” said American Optometric Association President Stephen Reed. “It is not difficult to take it. But after a while, even if it’s not a hard climb, the body just gets tired.”
Fortunately, exposure to blue light from computer screens and devices does not cause permanent eye damage, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
However, symptoms can disrupt work, family and leisure. As an optometrist in Mississippi, Reed sees patients who complain of frequent computer-related eye pain, headaches, and blurred vision. He advises getting eye exams and taking frequent breaks.
For Higgins, trying to catch up on work she couldn’t do when her eyes were too tired on weekdays cut into the time she spent with her daughters on weekends. “They played together and I couldn’t be as involved in what they were doing as I would have liked,” she said.
Here are some tips from eye care professionals to reduce eye strain caused by devices.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule
Take a break from sitting at the computer every 20 minutes. During the 20-second break, focus on something about 20 feet away. Pausing the close-up and looking at something in the distance gives tired, tense muscles time to relax.
“Fortunately, eye strain is temporary,” said Raj Mathuri, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Midwest Eye Institute in Indianapolis who is a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “The best way to avoid these symptoms is to take a break from the screen or near work activities and use lubricating eye drops when necessary.”
Humans typically blink 18 to 22 times per minute. But when looking at a screen, the frequency drops to three to seven times per minute, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This is where the eye drops come in. It’s good to move and get outside, but if you don’t have time for a walk, frequent 20-second breaks can help.
Change the table setting
Some people find that using a larger monitor helps reduce eye strain. You can also increase the font size on your laptop, monitor or smartphone screen.
Higgins has done all of the above since she started her new job as senior vice president at Stand Up to Cancer. Since she works remotely from her home in Midlothian, Virginia, she got a 29-inch monitor and sits about three feet away from it, about a foot farther than most offices.
The changes helped. She still has issues with blurring from time to time, but not as often. “If I have an extended work day, like a 12-hour day, that’s when my vision problems start again,” she said. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, sitting at arm’s length from the screen and adjusting it so you’re looking slightly down can also help reduce eye strain.
Be careful with product claims
Some products, such as blue light glasses, are marketed with claims that they reduce digital eye strain, improve sleep, and prevent eye disease. But several studies have shown that the glasses are not very effective, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In fact, the symptoms are caused by our behavior with digital devices, not the small amount of blue light that comes from the screens, the group said.
Extracurricular optics
After stepping away from their computers at work, many people start reading or scrolling through their smartphone screens. It’s not just workers: children use laptops, tablets and smart screens in schools throughout the day.
Too much screen time or focusing on nearby objects can accelerate the onset and progression of myopia, especially in children, said Aisha Malik, a pediatric ophthalmologist in the division of ophthalmology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Anyone streaming the show should do so on a TV, not a tablet, to relieve eye strain, she said.
Children should follow the 20-20-20-2 rule, which includes an extra “2” at the end to encourage 2 hours of outdoor play a day, which helps eye development, she said. “The reality is that most children at school and at home are engaged with screens all day. It becomes difficult to keep track of the total number of hours,” Malik said. “Allow no more than 20 minutes during a single session.”
He sleeps soundly
The blue light emitted by digital screens can increase alertness, so watching Netflix on an iPad or scrolling through social media feeds in bed can make restful sleep more difficult.
To give your eyes and brain the rest they need, doctors recommend turning off screens one to two hours before bed. You can also put your devices into “dark mode” at night to reduce exposure to bright light. If you’re used to streaming videos at night, try listening to an audiobook or podcast instead.
