We live in a society where nearly everything we do requires us to look at a screen. Nearly all of us use a laptop every day to work. And then there’s online banking, shopping and the daily (hourly?) TikTok scroll.
All of those hours rack up as research has shown that British adults spend 4,866 hours a year staring at screens, which means the average adult spends 34 years staring at screens.
We’ve become so accustomed to our digital lives that we forget how bad screen staring can be for our eyes.
What exactly is computer vision syndrome?
If you’ve noticed your eyes feeling dry or tired you might have computer vision syndrome (CVS). Nimmi Mistry, professional services optician at Vision Direct explains what CVS is and how you can avoid it.
“Computer vision syndrome (CVS), also known as digital eye strain or digital visual syndrome (DVS), is a term given to a set of symptoms that can arise from using digital devices for a long time,” Mistry says.
She explains that, “Looking at a screen that emits intense light while having to focus and defocus at different distances requires an accommodative effort for many hours at a time. This, in addition to glare from screens, can be harmful to your eye health.”
Spending more than three hours a day looking at a screen is enough for it to negatively impact your eye health.
“As many office jobs are computer-based, many people nearly triple this limit in a workday alone,” Mistry says. This doesn’t take in the amount of time we spend watching tv, checking social media or playing video games.
So, what are the symptoms of CVS?
Eye fatigue: The prolonged accommodative effort demanded of our eyes without sufficient breaks, can lead to eye fatigue which presents as blurred vision and tired eyes.
Dry eye: Dry eye is one of the most common symptoms of CVS. Recent studies have shown that when we use a screen we tend to blink less, which means our eyes get less lubrication, end up with eye dryness and leave them feeling sore and tired.
Headache: The intense light and the pressure to which our eyes are subjected continuously can cause more headaches which can make focusing or going about daily tasks a little more difficult.
Photophobia: CVS can also be responsible for the development of hypersensitivity to light, both natural and artificial – not something you want as we head into the longer days of summer.
You should also remember that screens emit blue light which interrupts and reduces the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Extended screen exposure can therefore cause disruptions to sleeping patterns and quality. Lack of sleep is something that can also negatively impact eye health.
Tips to avoid digital eye strain
It’s pretty impossible to limit how much you use a screen if you are dependent on them for your job. However, there are small habits you can adopt to reduce the impact on your eyes and avoid eye discomfort:
1. Appropriate distance from the computer: Ergonomics are important. Your computer screen or monitor should be between 50 and 65 cm away from you, and at eye level and your keyboard should be positioned straight in front of you.
2. Screen with good resolution: Working with a screen that has a good resolution (a minimum of 1080p, if not 4K) and is of good quality (strong RGB colour accuracy settings) is necessary to avoid eye strain.
3. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: This means looking away from the screen every 20 minutes to look for 20 seconds at a fixed point 20 feet away. This exercise will relieve the stress on your eyes and force the habit of taking screen breaks.
4. Use eye drops: Having hydrating eye drops, or artificial tears, on hand will allow you to manage the discomfort of dry eyes caused by CVS.
5. Conscious blinking: Forcing yourself to blink is a handy exercise to alleviate dryness and eye strain.
6. Visit your ophthalmologist. In more severe cases in which the symptoms persist in a severe and prolonged manner, you should make an appointment with a specialist at your local opticians.