Statistics show that nearly 65% of people aged between 30-50 suffer from symptoms of eye strain caused by digital devices.  Alarmingly, the percentage is a lot higher in younger people, with 87% of people in their 20’s suffering eye strain!

It only takes two hours of screen time per day to give us a 90% chance of developing digital eye strain.  Just two hours!  When we include all of the digital devices we use, phones, tablets, computers, laptops, etc, the average Australian is having about 10 hours of screen time a day!

How many hours do you think you use your devices for? Are you above average?

I know I am guilty of overusing my devices!

With something this common, it is important to be able to recognize the symptoms so that you can try to minimize your eye strain.  Bright screens are often the culprits behind:

·       Eyes feeling either very watery or unusually dry

·       A burning or itching sensation in the eyes

·       Blurry or double vision

·       Frequent headaches and soreness in the neck, shoulders, or back

·       Increased sensitivity to light

·       Trouble concentrating

So, what can we do to protect our eyes from our screens?

If screens are causing the problem, then it would make sense that less screen time would solve it, right? Well, yes… but that isn’t always possible. A lot of our day to day lives require the use of one or more digital devices.

The biggest issue with using devices for long periods of time, is that they expose you to blue light – which can affect your health.  If you use your devices a lot at night, it can even affect the quality of your sleep as the blue light supresses melatonin, a hormone that tells our bodies to sleep.  It can also throw off our biological clock, the circadian rhythm, which further interrupts sleep patterns.  This can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep because our bodies are confused.

You can eliminate blue light a few ways; reducing use of devices is the best option, or, where this is not possible, wearing a pair of computer glasses can help as well! There are spectacle lenses specifically designed to reduce the symptoms of digital eye strain or eye fatigue, and particular lens coatings can increase the effectiveness of these lenses too.

There are few options when it comes to lens coatings that help eliminate that nasty glare; an anti-reflective OR a blue coating, which is actually designed to eliminate reflective glare, blue light and reduce those harmful side effects coming from our device screens.

Of course, with so many lens options, prescription and lifestyle factors, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for glasses.  Pop in, call us or book in for a comprehensive eye test to discuss the options that best suit you and your digital lifestyle!   

Sam Fox

Optical Dispenser