Q: My job has me on a screen mostly all day, and of course I spend more time at home that evening on my laptop and tablet. I hear different stories about why I feel more tired after my work day, and not sure what really might help.
A: We are asked about this about every day, meaning yours is a very common complaint these days. First, let me assure you that no studies so far have found that excessing screen time focusing physically damages your eyes, or worsens your vision prescription.
But, it is true that most people have a variety of symptoms when spending hours on digital screens. Most commonly, eyestrain, tired eyes, trouble focusing, vision getting fuzzy, red eyes, headaches, and general fatigue are all things we hear our patients telling us frequently. There are several reasons for these myriad symptoms.
Perhaps first, when we look at digital screens ( unlike print on a page ) we all tend to blink less often. While we normally blink about every 5 seconds, while staring at screens we blink about every 20-25 seconds! This slower blink rate causes more drying of our eye surface. Our eyelids are sort of like windshield wipers…..they clean, rewet, and smooth out the surface of our tear film and cornea. A simply test at home for this is that when you notice your screen vision is less sharp or slightly fuzzy, just blink 2-3 times or add a moisturizing eye drop and notice if your vision is shaper. If so, routine eye drop use is advised, or ask your eye doctor about “lacrimal plugs” to hold your natural tears longer on your eye surface.
People also ask about “blue light filter” often…..do they help, do they prevent damage, etc. At this point, we really don’t know. While many patients tell us their blue light filter glasses make them feel better, studies have no proven any damage from blue light exposure. We do know that blue light exposure can affect our circadian rhythms and interfere with normal sleep patterns. Generally, avoiding screen time a couple hours before bedtime is advised, or wearing blue filter lenses may be as effective. We have been including UV filters in glasses for decades, and adding the blue light filter is very simple and easy…..we usually include both.
Lastly, we find many patients with “normal” vision, actually have a small vision correction that can make extended near focusing far more comfortable. We often prescribe a mild prescription specifically for reading and/or computer use. Unlike over the counter “readers”, these computer lenses can provide differing powers in different parts of the lens…..close vison at the bottom for seeing your phone or jotting a note, intermediate clarity for your screen or screens, and even a small area at the top to see further across the room as needed. There are several different lens designs for these applications, so talk with your eye doctor about your specific screen use or issues to better choose the lenses to provide the most relief.
Our digital world can be challenging and uncomfortable. I often say that we humans were not designed to stare at screens all day, we were built to hunt dinosaurs! But today, many options exist to make you work day far more comfortable!