You probably spend a good part of your day looking at screens, from the computer at your desk to the phone in your hand. In our digital world, this is normal. But you may have wondered if all that screen time has an impact on your family’s vision and eye comfort.
If your eyes feel tired, dry, or strained after a long day, you aren’t alone. The short answer is yes, extensive screen time can affect your eyes in several ways, but typically it doesn’t lead to permanent damage. Your optometrist can check how screens impact your vision during an eye health evaluation.
Signs Your Eyes Feel Screen Strain
Your eyes often tell you when they need a break from digital devices. You might notice specific symptoms after you spend time on a computer, tablet, or phone. These feelings of discomfort are common signs of digital eye strain.
Common symptoms of digital eye strain include:
- Tired, aching, or sore eyes
- Difficulty with focus
- Dry, scratchy, or watery eyes
- Blurred or double vision
- Head, neck, or shoulder pain
- Increased sensitivity to light
How Screens Affect Your Eye Comfort and Vision
Stare at a screen for a long time, and you might notice your eyes feel different. This happens for a few common reasons related to how you use digital devices.
When you focus on a screen, you tend to blink less often than you normally would. Blinking is how your eyes stay moist and clear, so less blinking can lead to dryness and irritation. This is a key reason many people who spend long hours on digital screens seek professional dry eye treatment.
Additionally, your eye muscles work hard to keep digital text clear. When you do this for hours at a time, those muscles get tired, just like any other muscle in your body. This fatigue can make it harder for your eyes to focus properly.
These factors can contribute to both temporary discomfort and other vision concerns.
Digital Devices and Your Child’s Vision
Children’s eyes are still developing, which can make them more sensitive to strain from screen use. This is why a lot of time spent on close-up tasks, like looking at screens, could be a factor in children developing nearsightedness, also known as myopia. Myopia control can help manage this condition for your child.
While traditional glasses help your child see clearly in the moment, myopia control focuses on slowing the progression of nearsightedness. We can now use specialized multifocal glasses or contact lenses to help reduce the strain that contributes to eye elongation. Low-dose Atropine eye drops are also an effective method used to signal the eye to slow its growth.
These proactive treatments manage the way the eye develops, protecting your child’s long-term vision and eye health as they grow.
Aside from professional treatments, simple habits can make a big difference for young eyes. Encourage your child to take frequent breaks from their screen to look at distant objects. You can also put reasonable limits on daily screen time and help set up their workspace correctly.
Find Relief for Screen-Tired Eyes
You can take steps to reduce eye strain from screens. A combination of personal habits and professional support offers a path to more comfortable vision in a digital world.
Adjust your screen so it’s about an arm’s length away and just below eye level. You can also reduce glare by changing room lighting. Remember to take a short break every 20 minutes to look at something far away by following the 20-20-20 rule.
Specialized lenses can help reduce digital eye strain. Your eye care team can discuss options available at the optical boutique that filter certain types of light or help your eyes focus more comfortably on screens.
A comprehensive eye exam is a great way to assess how screen time affects your eyes. Our team can check for underlying issues, such as dry eye or changes in your prescription, that may contribute to strain.
Modern Support for Your Digital Life
Your vision needs are unique, especially in a world full of screens. Optometrists can help identify subtle issues related to screen use before they become bigger problems.
With an in-house lab, our clinic can prepare many types of prescription lenses on-site. This often means you can get your new glasses, including those for computer use, more quickly and conveniently.
You can trust our optometrists at Woodstock Vision Care to be your home for eye care. Book your appointment online today and let us support your vision journey.
