3 Soothing Solutions For Digital Eye Strain

Health & Medical Blog

Digital eye strain, also called computer vision syndrome, troubles many individuals who spend lots of time staring at computer monitors or other digital screens. Symptoms include dry, reddened irritated eyes, blurring of vision, headaches, tearing, and even shoulder or neck pain.

Fortunately, you can take steps to relieve or prevent these annoying problems. Take a look at three soothing solutions for digital eye strain causes and symptoms. 

1. Eye Drops

Normally, your eyes blink instinctively several times a minute to stimulate tear production and keep the eyes' delicate tissues properly hydrated. However, when you stare at a digital screen, your eyes may blink up to 66 percent less frequently, making you vulnerable to the irritating effects of dry eye.

Over-the-counter eye drops can help you combat this uncomfortable dryness. You may only need simple artificial tears, or you may prefer the results you get from lubricating eye drops. However, steer clear of products designed to remove eye redness, since they can make the redness even worse after you stop using them.

2. Workplace Modifications

The digital and non-digital equipment you use in your everyday work can contribute to digital eye strain. You may have more trouble if your screen sits too high or low for comfortable viewing, you don't have enough ambient lighting to offset the screen glare, or you must constantly shift your viewing field from the screen to other objects.

You may find that your symptoms ease once you reduce your screen brightness, increase ambient lighting brightness, or fit your monitor with an anti-glare filter. Adjust your monitor until it sits 20 to 28 inches from your face, with the center of the monitor four to five inches below your direct line of vision.

3. Specialized Eyewear

Constant focus at a fixed distance can tire the eye muscles responsible for maintaining that degree of focus. This problem gets worse in middle age due to presbyopia, a condition that stiffens the lens of the eye. If you have presbyopia, your optometrist can equip you with progressive lenses that help you focus easily at all distances.

Specialized computer glasses can offer an effective alternative to progressive lenses. These lenses correct your vision solely within the distance range of your monitor, allowing you to see the whole screen clearly without strain. You can also get other strain-reducing options such as tinted lenses that block irritating blue light.

Vision problems can stem from issues other than digital eye strain. If you have trouble with eye fatigue, discomfort, or blurred vision, contact your local eye care center to schedule an evaluation and get whatever treatment you may need.

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24 August 2022

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