Digital eye strain is common in our tech-heavy lives
A doctor has explained the six things you should do if you’re getting headaches from too much screen time.
Digital eye strain – also known as computer vision syndrome – is a relatively new type of condition and you can probably guess what the culprit is.
Indeed, excessive phone usage has been officially recognized with its own medical term.
With significant technological progress, many of us find ourselves working eight hours a day in front of a laptop screen.
When you factor in the time the average individual spends on their phone or watching TV, it adds up to a considerable number of hours spent staring at screens each week.
Digital eye strain is commonplace in our technology heavy culture (Getty Stock Images)
Which is why it’s no surprise that so many of us have eye-strain related conditions.
Research by Boots indicates that approximately 75 percent of British adults acknowledge an enhanced quality of life from wearing glasses. It is commonly thought that the time spent in front of screens is a significant factor in the growing demand for glasses.
How do screens relate to headaches and vision problems?
Spending too much time in front of a screen can lead to issues like digital eye strain, poor posture in the head and neck, nearsightedness, and headaches.
Digital eye strain symptoms may also involve: pulsating pain on one side of the head, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light, tension in the neck and shoulders, dry eyes, and in some instances, migraines.
What causes digital eye strain?
The word ‘digital’ in digital eye strain is of course a major giveaway as to the cause. There’s no one reason why this happens, however prolonged exposure to blue light, poor posture and not maintaining an appropriate amount of distance between yourself and the your screen can contribute to screen-time related headaches.
There are things you can do the limit your risk (Getty Stock Images)
So, what can you do to stop headaches from screen-time?
MedicalNewsToday suggests six easy practices you can adopt in your daily routine to lower the chances of experiencing headaches caused by digital eye strain.
These are:
- Taking regular screen breaks away from your laptop. The 20-20-20 is usually advised for this, which means you spend 20 seconds looking away from your screen every 20 minutes, making sure the screen is around 20 feet away during this time.
- Using appropriate background lighting. It is recommended that you use your device in indirect or shielded lighting and avoid having bright or glaring lights nearby.
- Wearing glasses with a blue light filter
- Avoiding unnecessary screen exposure
- Keeping an appropriate distance from the screen. A distance of 50–100 cm between the eyes and the screen is ideal, with the top of your screen at – or just below – eye level.
- Minimising glare and reflections on the screen
Minor changes to your daily life can help with digital eye strain (Getty Stock Images)
Screen-related headaches and digital eye strain can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers and eye drops. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, it may be advisable to consult your optician or general practitioner.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images