In our progressive and technologically advanced modern day, experiencing eye strain has become common due to our consistent use of digital devices. The discomfort is usually temporary but can sometimes persist, affecting daily living.
The effects of eye strain caused by digital devices can be effectively treated by taking frequent breaks, blinking more often, and using artificial tears. To prevent eye strain, making small adjustments can help, such as adjusting the screen and your posture, wearing blue light glasses, using proper lighting conditions, and visiting your optometrist for routine eye exams.
Understanding Computer Vision Syndrome
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), or digital eye strain, occurs when you spend prolonged periods of time staring at digital screens. Your eyes have to work harder when viewing digital screens, causing your eyes feeling sore, fatigued, or strained after long periods of focus. Screens also tend to reduce blinking, increasing the risk of developing dry eye.
Symptoms of CVS vary but often include:
- Sore, tired, or burning eyes
- Excessive tearing
- Blurry or double-vision
- Headaches
- Head, neck, and shoulder pain
These symptoms indicate that your eyes need rest from these extended periods of focusing on digital screens. This highlights the importance of taking regular breaks while working. Rest periods provide your eyes time to relax and refocus. While CVS is normally temporary, ignoring the symptoms can lead to further discomfort or exacerbate refractive errors like myopia or presbyopia.
What Causes Digital Eye Strain?
Eye strain develops mainly from prolonged periods of intense focus or exposure to demanding visual conditions (digital screens), leading to discomfort and fatigue. It’s similar to how your muscles feel sore after a workout. In this case, it’s your eye muscles that feel sore after repetitive movements with little to no rest.
The high visual demands of focusing on digital screens can overwork your eye muscles, often leading to eye fatigue. Factors that contribute to CVS include:
- Extended periods of screen use without breaks
- Poor posture when using digital devices
- Glare from screens
- Small text size on screens
- Insufficient lighting or screen contrast
Fortunately, CVS can be effectively managed with simple lifestyle adjustments to avoid complications and help provide relief.
Computer Vision Syndrome vs Eye Strain
Computer vision syndrome and “regular” eye strain aren’t much different from each other. They both result in the same symptoms of eye fatigue and strain from prolonged work.
Eye strain develops from a prolonged focus on close-up tasks and exposure to poor lighting conditions.
Common causes of eye strain include:
- Working on intricate tasks
- Reading or writing
- Uncorrected vision problems
CVS shares these triggers but adds the strain caused by screen glare, blue light emissions, and screen flicker. Plus, experts note that digital eye strain occurs more frequently because of how often we use screens today.
Addressing either type of eye strain can be accomplished by allowing your eyes to rest and refocus.
Reducing Eye Strain from Screens
Most individuals experience CVS after a long day of work. The symptoms of eye strain are uncomfortable and annoying, but fortunately, eye strain itself isn’t a serious condition and can be managed by making simple lifestyle adjustments.
Eye strain from digital devices doesn’t take long to subside once relief measures are taken. CVS symptoms usually fade within an hour after you stop working on screens while traditional eye strain can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
Once you refocus your eyes away from your device, blink frequently, and take breaks from your work, you can begin to find relief from eye strain.
Treating Eye Strain
Eye strain can be treated by making simple lifestyle adjustments while you work:
- Take Regular Breaks: Follow the 20-20-20 rule when focusing on work for extended periods to avoid eye strain. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This allows your eye muscles to relax and refocus.
- Blink More Often: When working on digital screens, we blink less frequently. Blinking helps moisten the eyes and reduces dryness and irritation, especially while working on digital devices.
- Use Artificial Tears: Symptoms like decreased blinking, dry eyes, and overall discomfort can be alleviated using artificial tears, which provide additional moisture and hydration to the eyes.
Preventing Eye Strain
In addition to treating eye strain, we can implement small changes to reduce the risk of developing eye strain while we work.
- Adjust Your Screen and Posture: Head, neck, and shoulder pain are common symptoms of digital eye strain because of poor posture while working on screens. Sit in a position that promotes proper posture and angle your screen to reduce glare
- Blue Light Glasses: Consider wearing specialty lenses for computer work. Blue light glasses help prevent eye strain by reducing glare and filtering blue light from digital screens.
- Proper Lighting: Eye strain can develop from frequently looking at high contrast values emitted from digital screens. Make sure that the brightness levels of your screen match the lighting of the room you’re working in to balance the contrast levels in your work environment. Essentially, we want to avoid staring at a bright screen in a dark room.
- Regular Eye Exams: Eye strain is temporary. Persistent eye discomfort may indicate uncorrected refractive errors. Routine eye exams can help detect and manage underlying eye concerns to help provide relief.
Schedule an Eye Exam in Diamond Bar
Computer Vision Syndrome is a common issue due to our frequent use of digital devices, but the discomfort it brings doesn’t have to be part of our daily lives. By making small lifestyle adjustments, we can effectively treat and prevent the onset of CVS.
Connect with our team and Dr. Taylor Bladh, OD to schedule a comprehensive exam and learn how we can help.
