Here's how to prevent a modern affliction that is becoming more widespread
After another day of back-to-back Zoom meetings (and writing memos, revising PowerPoint presentations, and responding to emails, Teams and Slack messages), my eyes were red and watering, I couldn’t see clearly, my head hurt, my neck was stiff and my equilibrium was off. My only wish was to close my eyes and crawl into a dark room.
Perhaps you’ve had similar experiences. These are symptoms of digital eye strain, a condition that’s become more widespread as our screen time increased dramatically during the pandemic. It’s also called visual fatigue or computer vision syndrome.
We now spend on average seven-10 hours, and upward of 14-18 hours per day, in front of screens, watching television, working and studying on a computer, swiping on a smartphone or tablet and playing video games. The Internet and digital devices have allowed us to stay connected, entertained, and productive without leaving our home. However, our increased access to and dependence on screens have consequences. More than 90% of digital users report eye strain.
How does digital eye strain happen? The eye muscles contract and turn the eyeballs inward, change the shape of the lenses, and constrict the pupils when we focus on things close to us. Our ability to maintain focus is further challenged by the need to scroll on smaller screens, the glare of reflected light, the “noise” of background lights emitted by the screens, and flickering associated with the electronic signals. Uncorrected vision problems (e.g., near or far-sightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism) can exacerbate the issues of focus.
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We also tend to forget to blink when looking at screens. Blinking provides regular lubrication to the surface of the eyes and dry eye leads to redness, itchiness and burning.
Moreover, screen use is associated with unnatural body postures. We lean forward, bend the neck down, and crouch the arms. Muscle sprain, neck stiffness, headache, backache and shoulder pain can develop even after just a few hours.
How can we prevent digital eye strain? We cannot eliminate screens from our lives and livelihoods, but there are still ways to make it easier on our eyes.
-Change your screen. Larger, higher resolution screens are better than smaller ones. Apply a matte filter to reduce glare. Adjust the brightness, contrast and font size so it’s easier to read. For most people, 60-70% contrast, clear legible font at size 12 or larger, and dark text on a light background is the most comfortable. Avoid dark or busy multi-colored backgrounds. If you primarily conduct text-based work, such as writing, consider an e-ink display or tablet, although the technology is currently not vivid or fast enough for graphics or video.
-Optimize your ergonomics. The screen should be at least two feet away from you with its center 10-15 degrees below eye level. Ensure sufficient ambient lighting so that the screen is not brighter than its surroundings.
-Take breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from the screen at something more than 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Focusing on the distance helps eye muscles relax. Consider joining online meetings by phone instead of video conference, take a few minutes of off-screen time as a group to stretch the body and rest the eyes, or schedule meetings as audio-only unless screen-sharing is needed.
-Treat the symptoms. Use artificial tears to refresh the eyes. Wear glasses instead of contact lenses so the eyes can breathe and moisturize. Massage around the eye sockets, forehead, temples and neck.
-Seek help. Visit an ophthalmologist if strain happens frequently, the discomfort persists despite rest, or if you notice changes to your vision. Have annual eye exams to detect refractive errors and update your prescription for corrective lenses.
I can speak from personal experience that digital eye strain is stressful, frustrating and scary. Not just a nuisance of post-pandemic life, eye strain may have long-lasting harm, too, especially in children whose eyes are still developing, and older folks whose eyes have lost the protective adaptability to different environments.
Now, I’m going to turn off my computer and give my eyes some rest.
Qing Yang and Kevin Parker are a married couple living in Springfield. Dr. Yang is an anesthesiologist. She received her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and completed residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Parker has helped formulate and administer public policy at various city, state, and federal government entities, including the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. This column is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The opinions are those of the writers and do not represent the views of their employers.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: How to prevent digital eye strain, a modern affliction
