In today’s modern world, it is impossible to escape technology as it has become a part of our work, play, and everything in between. However, digital screens are not exactly the best thing for our eyes and spending long hours looking at them can cause problems for our sight in the long-term. It is an especially problematic issue for children as their vision is still developing and strain caused by digital screens can be really harmful during that stage. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at what exactly causes digital eye strain and how to keep your eyes protected from it. What is Digital Eye Strain? Digital Eye Strain refers to problems that are caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens. This happens as a big component of the light emitted by the screen is known as high-energy visible light, which is high-frequency, high-energy light in the blue/violent band from 400 to 500 nm in the visible spectrum. Even though blue light is most commonly found in sunlight itself, digital screens expose people to this light at a very close range for a large period of time which creates problems for our eyes. Some common symptoms of digital eye strain are dry and irritated eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, pain in the shoulder, back or neck, and headaches. How to Protect Your Eyes from Digital Strain
- Remember to blink! One of the major reasons why we suffer from dry eyes after prolonged exposure to digital screens is because the rate at which our eyes blink goes down massively when we’re working with digital screens. This causes problems in keeping our eyes moisturized, which leads to dry and irritated eyes.
- Use proper lighting and seating position! A lot of issues with digital eye strain arises out of the poor posture and poor lighting when using a digital screen, whether it be a TV or a computer. By remembering to keep your posture proper and taking care of the lighting, you will be saving yourself from the effects of digital eye strain.
- Adjust your monitor or screen’s settings! Try to keep your monitor in front of you at an arm’s distance away, ensuring the screen is just below eye level. For your monitor’s settings, you can enlarge the font for easier reading and less strain on your eyes. You should also try avoiding glare on your digital screen as it is especially bad for your eyes.
- Follow the famous 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes of staring at a digital screen, look at something that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This keeps your eyes fresh and safe from digital eye strain.
A Borderline Epidemic Digital Eye Strain is a modern eye problem that is a borderline epidemic as many people are not aware of the harmful effects of digital screens on their eyes and how to deal with it. If you are experiencing any symptoms or want medical help, you should consult with your ophthalmologist to find the most effective ways of dealing with digital eye strain in your life. Read Also: Eye exercise while working on Laptop
