Impact
of screens on long term eye sight
About 80 percent of American adults report using
digital devices for more than two hours per day with nearly 67 percent using
two or more devices simultaneously, and 59 percent report systems of digital
eye strain.
Staring at screens for long periods of time can
cause Computer Vision Syndrome, which can lead to two problems. First problem
is dry eyes, caused by lack of blinking. When you are too engrossed in reading
the screen, you forget to blink, thus causing blurry vision and discomfort.
This is because you don’t allow the tear film on your eyes to re-establish.
The second problem is eye strain. This is because
of the glare of the device that you are using. These bright lights or glare exhaust
your eyes’ ability to focus.
Other than these, excessive use of computers/
digital devices can also cause burning, irritation, heavy or tired eyes, eye
strain, or even tearing up (reflex response to the dryness). These, in effect,
lead to eye strain, headaches, and even, stress.
Symptoms of eye dryness can be aggravated by a
number of other exposures in our day to day lives. Contact lenses, medications
such as antihistamines or antidepressants can cause eye dryness and low
humidity environments such as office buildings with blowing air conditioning or
heat can also cause eye irritation[1]. People
with any of the above risk factors may experience eye symptoms with even
minimal screen time.
Fortunately, this can be treated easily if you
follow a certain lifestyle, which would include healthy eating and exercise.
The most important exercise is to blink at regular intervals. You should also
try to change your focus every few minutes, by looking at a farther distance,
say 20 feet. Taking regular eye breaks is important for resting the eyes,
blinking and limiting eye strain.
There are also some changes that you can
incorporate at your work desk. Some of them are:-
·
sit about two feet away from a computer
screen,
·
use a matte screen filter to reduce
glare,
·
try using larger fonts, especially on
your phones,
·
avoid using digital devices in dark
rooms, or, use softer lighting to reduce the strain on eyes[2]
·
Consider having a humidifier in the
office or close to your computer if the surrounding air is dry.
All these steps and regular meditation will help
you in taking care of your eyes. And yes, don’t forget to blink!
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