What causes digital eye strain and how can you prevent it?
Digital eye strain happens when screens reduce blinking, expose eyes to blue light, and demand prolonged focus. Symptoms include dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches and neck pain. Prevent it with the 20-20-20 rule, the right screen brightness and viewing distance, and artificial tears if you need them.
A typical day can mean a big screen, then a medium screen, then the small one in our hands. But devices are not the sole cause of eye strain. You feel it after any prolonged period of focus: reading, driving, watching TV, knitting, and yes, working at a computer. Remote work has only increased how much we ask of our eyes.
A 2021 study found that as time on digital devices rose, so did reports of computer vision syndrome.
The good news is that eye strain is common and usually treatable. Below we break down the types of eye fatigue, what causes them, how to treat them, and when to see your optometrist.
What causes eye fatigue?
When we stare at something up close, the lens of the eye contracts. In a productivity rhythm - typing, scanning the screen, dragging and dropping - your eyes never get a break.
Intense focus also means less blinking. Blinking replenishes tears and lubricates the eye, and it is what keeps everything looking crisp. Less blinking means more air and less moisture, which is what causes that blurry feeling.
What are the symptoms of eye strain?
Environmental factors play a role too. An undiagnosed refractive error - nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia - makes your eyes work harder, so they tire faster. A poorly lit or badly ventilated room, a very bright screen, or hunching toward it will all add to the strain.
Watch for:
- Eye irritation, burning or itching
- Watery or dry eyes
- Fighting to keep your eyes open
- Double or blurred vision
- Mild headache
- Soreness in the neck, shoulders and back
- Difficulty concentrating or reading
- Light sensitivity
- Eye spasm or twitching
What is digital eye strain?
As we use more digital devices, a distinct kind of eye strain has emerged: digital eye strain, or computer vision syndrome. According to the American Optometric Association, those most likely to develop it are people who spend two or more continuous hours at a computer or digital screen every day.
Screens are new technology to your eyes. Reading a screen is not like reading print: you are dealing with pixels, glare, brightness and reflections, at a viewing angle and distance quite unlike a book.
But screens are not always the culprit. Digital eye strain often comes down to uncorrected vision or an outdated prescription. If you catch yourself hunching toward the screen, tilting your head or getting neck pain, it may be time for an update. Computer distance is its own prescription, separate from reading and distance, which is why your optometrist asks how you work and for how long. It is worth staying on top of your eye exams and reporting any visual discomfort.
How do you relieve and prevent eye strain?
- The 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes on a device, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. Set a timer if you tend to forget.
- Blink, and use drops. Blink regularly. When you blink less, your eyes dry out. Saline or artificial tears help, especially if you wear contact lenses.
- Redecorate. Keep your screen about an arm's length away, at eye level or slightly below.
- Adjust your settings. Room lighting, screen glare, a matte screen, a larger font. Small changes add up.
- Eyewear. Make sure your glasses suit computer use. Intermediate distance is not the same as a reading or distance prescription, and the same goes for contacts. Ask about coatings like anti-glare or a blue light filter.
- Work smart. Break up screen time with phone calls or printed material rather than moving from one screen task straight to the next.
The future of vision care
Technology keeps changing, and mixed reality headsets can now place a whole desktop around you. As the digital world blends into the physical one, eye care professionals are asking how that will affect our eyes over the long term.
For now the answer is the same: look after your eyes, and stay on top of your eye exams so your prescription keeps pace with how you actually live.
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