Digital Eye Strain

Resting Your Eyes

The presence of digital screens in almost all aspects of life is something we’re all familiar with. Whether it’s for work or catching up on the streaming service of your choice, digital eye strain can impact your plans.

At Elite Vision Therapy Centre, our team wants to help you find some well-deserved relief. Contact us today for more information and request an appointment to manage your digital eye strain.

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What Is Digital Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is a vision problem resulting from long hours spent in front of your computer, on your phone, or using other digital screens. The effects of digital eye strain can be made worse by pre-existing eye conditions such as astigmatism, myopia, and presbyopia.

Depending on your visual needs, your eyes may be exerting extra effort to maintain clear vision when viewing your screen, resulting in extra strain on your eyes.

Common signs and symptoms of digital eye strain can include:

Eye strain
Blurred vision
Headaches
Dry eyes

Even patients with perfect vision can experience digital eye strain after prolonged use of digital screens, so it’s essential to come in for your eye exams and give your eyes a break.

Managing Digital Eye Strain

During your eye exam, your eye doctor will discuss your symptoms and what a regular day of screen use looks like for you. This information can help determine if digital eye strain is the source of your discomfort or if it’s another eye issue.

When exploring your digital eye strain issues, there are various factors to consider:

What your workstation looks like
How many hours a day you use a computer
The distance from your eyes to your screen
The lighting in your workspace

Digital eye strain management and prevention starts with monitoring your digital screen usage. Still, there are some helpful digital eye strain control methods to explore.

The 20-20-20 Rule

Getting lost in your work is a common occurrence, and we can all lose track of time. Focusing on your screen for long periods can strain and dry out your eyes, especially when you forget to blink.

The 20-20-20 rule is a digital eye strain management method that allows your eyes to take a break.

The 20-20-20 rule consists of:

Looking away from your screen every 20 minutes
Focusing on an object at least 20 feet away
Looking at that object for at least 20 seconds

It takes around 20 seconds for your eyes to completely relax, allowing you to take a much-needed break from your screen.

Wear the Proper Eyewear

Proper eyewear is essential, especially if you have unique vision conditions that require correction. Elite Vision Therapy offers specialized lenses and vision therapy to assist with activities that can cause eye strain.

Your eye doctor can work with you during your eye exam to find a solution for your digital eye strain.

Use Eye Drops for Hydration

Intensely focusing on your screen, which many of us are guilty of, can drastically reduce how many times you blink per minute.

When you blink less, your eyes can become dry and irritated—eye drops such as artificial tears can give your eyes that boost of hydration you need. Talk to your eye doctor about which eye drops are best for your eyes.

Monitor Your Lighting

The lighting in your workstation can cause eye strain, whether it’s too dim or too bright. If you’re focusing intensely, your lighting should be coming from behind you, so dimming overhead lights can help reduce eyestrain.

Glare can also contribute to digital eye strain. When considering your setup, position your screen so the lighting is optimal for your eyes.

Get Relief from Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain can cause discomfort, even with the help of at-home management techniques. Contact us for more information and request an appointment to help overcome your digital eye strain symptoms.

Request an Appointment

Our Location

Our practice is located on Scarlett Road in Etobicoke, just south of Eglinton Avenue West and across from the Humber River.

Elite Vision Therapy is centrally located so everyone in the area can have access to the eye care they need. Can’t find us? Please give us a call!