Digital Eye Strain | Calgary

Living in the Digital World

Smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs. When we’re not looking at one, we’re looking at another.

With the increasing amount of screen time in our digital world, it’s no surprise these long hours can affect our vision.

An untreated refractive error or outdated prescription can mean your eyes are working harder to focus the images on the screen. Your optometrist can evaluate your eyes during our comprehensive eye exam to ensure your eyes aren’t working overtime.

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What Is Digital Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain can occur when your eyes are forced to work harder to maintain a clear image when looking at a screen.

Uncorrected vision problems can increase the severity and symptoms of digital eye strain—but even if you have perfect vision, you can still experience discomfort.

Common Symptoms

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, talk to your optometrist about your screen time and workspace setup. Common symptoms may include:

Headache
Blurred vision
Dry eyes
Neck and shoulder stiffness

Causes:

The above symptoms may have several causes. If you think any of these could be causing your eye discomfort, contact us and we are happy to help find a solution for you. Common causes include:

Poor lighting
Screen glare
Improper viewing distances
Poor posture
Uncorrected vision issues

Can Digital Eye Strain Affect Children?

Digital eye strain doesn’t just affect adults. When your child spends too much time using digital screens, it can lead to an increased risk of:

Eye fatigue
Dry & irritated eyes
Loss of focus flexibility
Nearsightedness

While it’s nearly impossible to remove screens from your child’s life, you can teach your child healthy screen time habits to protect their vision.

Find Relief of Digital Eye Strain

Long periods of work at short distances can create a strain on the eye’s focusing system.

We want to help maintain your eyes’ comfort. The following tips can help reduce the risk of digital eye strain:

Position your screen about an arm’s length away and 20 degrees below eye level
Minimize glare by adjusting your screen to the light sources in the room and consider an anti-glare screen cover
The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes take a 20-second break to focus your eyes on something at least 20 feet away
Remember to blink to keep your eyes moist
Get your eyes checked for possible changes in prescription
Invest in blue light reflecting glasses

We want to help you find relief. To learn more about the potential of digital eye strain, come see us.

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