March 07, 2024
Brooke LaValley/USA TODAY NETWORK
Extended computer use can lead to eye strain. The American Optometric Association offers several tips to prevent it, including taking 20-second breaks every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away. Above, Elijah Chapman uses a computer at the Downtown branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library in Ohio last summer.
If your eyes are dry and irritated after staring at your computer or other digital devices, you may be experiencing eye strain, health experts say.
With the advent of smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices, screens are everywhere, and people frequently switch from one to another, causing more frequent eye problems.
The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the situation when people were isolated at home, increasing the screen use of Americans in their 20s to 28.5 hours per week in 2020 from 25.9 hours per week in 2018, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health.
Similarly, a 2022 survey by the American Optometric Association revealed that the average gamer spent more than 8 hours a day on screens and has suffered from various eye-related symptoms.
"I've seen a huge amount of patients experiencing symptoms that are attributed to the amount of time they spend on some sort of visual device," Dr. Mina Massaro-Giordano, co-director of the Penn Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Center, said in a Penn Medicine blog post last year. "If you push your eyes too hard, they'll fire back."
Massaro-Giordani identified Computer Vision Syndrome as characterized by dry eyes, itchy eyes, red eyes and/or blurred vision. Headaches, neck aches and back aches also may result from prolonged screen time.
Many of the gamers surveyed by the American Optometric Association said they knew about the ramifications of long-term screen usage, although only 46% reported getting a comprehensive annual eye exam, as the association recommends.
Research shows that people who stare at screens for long periods blink less than they normally do, which can lead to dry, itchy, irritated eyes, experts say.
Blinking is important because it flushes dirt and particles that can disrupt our vision and drops fresh layers of tears on our eyes to keep them lubricated, preventing them from drying out.
Children experiencing eye fatigue, also known as asthenopia, may experience headaches, fatigue and eye pain – and may lose interest in reading and other tasks, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Studies show that children who spend more time inside than outdoors, a possible byproduct of using devices, are more likely to develop nearsightedness, or myopia.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend the use of blue screen on electronic devices, saying there is "no scientific evidence that blue light from digital devices" damages eyes.
Here are some suggestions from the American Optometric Association:
• Rest your eyes by using the 20-20-20 rule: At least every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and view something 20 feet away. The AOA further recommends that users take a 15-minute break for every two hours they spend on their electronic devices.
• Maintain a comfortable viewing distance: Use the zoom feature to see small print and details, rather than bringing the device closer to your eyes, which taxes the visual system.
• Adjust the lighting: Room lighting should be about the same as the brightness of the screen of an electronic device, not significantly brighter or dimmer.
• Position yourself: Sit with your back supported and your feet on the floor or on a foot stand. You also can stand at a properly adjusted standing desk. Keep the top of the screen no higher than eye level, with the screen angled away about 15 to 20 degrees.
• Power down before you turn in: Turn off your electronic devices at least one hour before bed.
• Get annual eye exams: The earlier a vision problem is detected and treated, the more likely it is that treatment will be successful.
