March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, meaning it’s time to take a closer look at how you can keep your eyes healthy. One issue that is becoming increasingly common in the modern workplace is digital eye strain. It can lead to headaches, dry eyes, and even blurred vision. Here’s what you need to know about digital eye strain, its symptoms, common causes, and prevention tips.
What is digital eye strain?
Digital eye strain refers to the physical discomfort that results from prolonged periods of looking at a computer or other digital device. The most common symptoms are:
- Sore or tired eyes
- Headaches
- Neck or shoulder pain
- Dry eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty concentrating
Common causes of digital eye strain
The most common cause of digital eye strain is too much time spent in front of a screen without breaks. Other causes include:
- Improper lighting (too bright or too dim)
- Glare from screens
- Viewing screens at the wrong distance and angle
- Having poor posture while sitting in front of the computer
- Not blinking enough while working with devices
- Uncorrected vision problems such as nearsightedness or astigmatism
Prevention tips for digital eye strain
There are several measures that you can take to reduce the risk of developing digital eye strain. Make sure to look away from screens every 20 minutes for 20 seconds and focus on an object 20 feet away (known as the 20-20-20 rule). Your monitor should be placed at an appropriate distance from your face (about arm’s length away), and the font size on your screen should be large enough for easy reading.
You should also have adequate lighting in your workspace, both from natural light sources and artificial lights if necessary. Additionally, regular comprehensive eye exams will ensure any underlying vision problems are addressed before they escalate into more serious issues.
Regular eye exams are an important part of keeping your eyes healthy—especially if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen during the day! An optometrist can perform tests to determine if underlying issues like nearsightedness or astigmatism are contributing to digital eye strain. Furthermore, they can diagnose conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts and suggest preventive measures to keep your eyes healthy in the future.
If you think you may have digital eye strain, contact Louisiana Eye Care in Denham Springs to schedule an eye exam and learn how you can find relief.
