Washington - Do you have unexplained dry, irritated eyes? Blurred vision? Neck and back pain and headaches?
If so, your digital gadgets may be (at least partly) to blame.
Adults younger than 30 may be most vulnerable, with 73 percent saying they are experiencing digital eye strain, according to a new survey released at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Women seem particularly at risk, with 70 percent experiencing problems as compared to only 60 percent of men.
“Our eyes are not built to stare at digital screens all day,” said Justin Bazan, medical adviser to the Vision Council, a trade group representing eyecare products.
Optometrist Dora Adamopoulos said in an interview that more young people have been coming to her practice in recent years complaining that their eyes are tired, red, burning or feel as though they have sand in them.
“I’m getting the Millennials coming in feeling symptoms you used to feel in your early 40s,” she said.
“Often, all they need is to reduce their use of the devices, take frequent breaks and maybe get filtering lenses.”
Adamopoulos said it was astounding the length of time that people, children especially, spend on multiple devices.
A person’s risk for eye strain is determined by the frequency and duration of use of such devices, the use of multiple devices simultaneously and the proximity of the screen. Computer, iPad and smartphone screens are thought to strain the eyes because they emit blue light or high-energy visible (HEV) light, which reaches deep into the eye.
Blue wavelengths that can boost attention and mood in the day can be disruptive at night, interrupting sleep patterns and circadian rhythms that scientists believe could play a role in making people more vulnerable to chronic diseases.
The Washington Post
Tips:
l Use computer eyewear and glasses with lens options that can help reduce symptoms of digital eye strain, block harmful blue light and improve vision.
l Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something 6m away.
l Build an optically optimal workspace to mitigate outside irritants, such as reducing overhead lighting to eliminate glare.
l “High-five” the computer screen for the correct viewing distance.
l Increase text size on devices to better define content on the screen.