It’s practically impossible to avoid digital devices of some kind in today’s world. Whether it’s a computer, television, iPad, or smartphone, it’s estimated that most people spend an average of six hours a day looking at a screen. All of that screen time could be harming your eyes. Fortunately, your optometrist at Falcon Vision Centre in Mississauga, ON is here to help maintain your eye health, and there are a few things you can do to protect your eyes as well.
Digital dangers
One negative consequence of looking at a screen for long periods of time is Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS. Symptoms of this condition include:
- Blurry vision
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Dry eyes
- Eye strain
- Double visionv
- Dizziness
- Difficulty refocusing
What you can do about it
Of course, some screen time is simply unavoidable, such as if you use a computer for work. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve, reduce, or even eliminate digital dangers to your eyes.
- Sit 20-26 inches away from the screen, with your eyes 4-6 inches above centre. Tilt the screen back slightly so that you are looking down at the screen a little, not straight at it.
- Adjust the size of the text you are reading to one that is more comfortable in order to avoid straining your eyes.
- Check the contrast of your screen; alter brightness settings for long reading periods.
- If possible, use LCD screens, which are better for your eyes than cathode-ray ones.
- Bright, harsh overhead lighting can exaggerate symptoms, so it may help to change the external environment as well.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a break for (at least) 20 seconds to look at something that is approximately 20 feet away. Doing so will help relieve pressure from your eyes and allow you to refocus.
It’s not all doom and gloom
Just as technological advances are made in most fields today, the same is being done in eye health and eye care. Devices are being developed to help doctors examine the eyes more thoroughly. For example, Digital Retinal Imaging allows doctors to scan much more of the eye and detect problems such as cataracts much earlier.
It’s not great to sit at your computer for hours at a time without taking a break, but with these tips, you can now do what you can to improve your eye health. For assistance or to schedule an exam, contact Falcon Vision Centre in Mississauga, ON.
