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The average worker spends seven hours a day on the computer for work purposes. In many cases, one or more of these hours is spent on a smartphone or tablet. Screens are so engrained in our society that there is an umbrella term for eye issues caused by excessive exposure.

Computer vision syndrome involves two main concerns for people who spend most of their days in front of a screen: dry eyes and eyestrain. Dr. Raymond Stein and our eye doctors at Bochner Eye Institute explain what causes these screen issues and how to prevent them.

Dry Eyes Caused by Screen Use 

Whether you work with images or text, your eyes are overwhelmed by the stimulating screen in front of you, and you forget to blink. The average blinking rate goes from 15 times per minute to just five to seven during computer usage. Your eye’s surface depends on a thin layer of liquid to protect it that is replenished by blinking. A lower blinking rate leads to dry eyes.  

Digital Eye Strain 

There could be a few culprits behind digital eye strain — one being the glare or brightness emanating from the screen, and the other that your prescription is out of date. People who don’t use reading glasses when they need them or need a new contact lens or glasses prescription have a harder time focusing on the text or images on a screen. Research suggests this is because the screen uses pixels with blurry edges unlike a piece of paper or book with defined print. 

Tips to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome 

Computer vision syndrome symptoms may involve headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry eyes and neck and shoulder pain. These concerns are often caused by a combination of issues associated with long-term computer use, such as poor lighting, inadequate viewing distance and uncorrected vision. Luckily, the symptoms are temporary, and there are several ways to alleviate and prevent computer vision syndrome including: 

• Regular eye exams to adjust your prescription if necessary and look for early signs of eye disease. 
• Sit two feet away from the computer screen.
• Center the computer monitor lower than your eye level, approximately 20 degrees from the center of the screen. 
• Use a screen filter to decrease the glare on your computer, smartphone or tablet.
• Adjust the settings for a larger font to reduce eye strain. 
• Switch your office light bulbs out for softer, low-wattage bulbs to help screen glare. 
• Use the 20/20/20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away.
• Rest your eyes for 15 minutes for every two hours of computer use.
• Use glasses with special tints to reduce screen glare and blue light exposure. 
• Talk to our eye doctors about eye drops and other options for computer vision syndrome.

Schedule an Eye Exam 

If you’re experiencing signs of computer vision syndrome, call or email our team at Bochner Eye Institute in Toronto to schedule your eye exam today.

Preserving the health of your eyes is not just simple — it’s essential to the clarity of your sight and ultimately your enjoyment of life. By adopting a small number of key lifestyle choices and habits, you can help protect your eyes and ensure a lifetime of clear, vivid and panoramic vision.

Here, experienced Toronto ophthalmologist Dr. Raymond Stein of Bochner Eye Institute outlines the best strategies for supporting optimal eye health.

Ultraviolet Rays

Sunglasses are an important way to protect your eyes, and not just on sunny days: Harmful ultraviolet rays easily pass through clouds and reflect off water and light-colored surfaces. Quality sunglasses with high levels of UVA and UVB protection are essential to preventing damage to your eyes and the development of conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. 

Digital Screens

Damaging ultraviolet rays are at the far blue end of the electromagnetic spectrum, but you can get an unhealthy dose of blue light even when you’re out of the sun. Computer screens and other digital devices emit blue light, as do high-definition TVs and the LED lights that are steadily replacing the old incandescent bulbs. Using a screen filter, special glasses designed for computer use, and simply limiting your screen time, are all smart ways to protect your eyes and reduce strain.

Contact Lens Habits

If you wear contact lenses, keeping them free of bacteria should be a priority. When bacteria develop on lenses or in lens containers that haven’t been properly cleaned or replaced, the results can range from irritation to serious infection. And some types of eye infection can lead to loss of vision.

Rubbing Your Eyes

Because the eye is so fragile, even a moderate amount of rubbing can result in damage. When rubbing causes small blood vessels to break, the eyes appear bloodshot. Leakage from capillaries can even create dark circles under the eyes.

In the process of rubbing the eyes, your hand may transfer germs to the area, which can cause conjunctivitis or other infections. If there is dirt, debris or a grain of sand in the eye, it can scratch the cornea when you rub your eyes. The effect is even greater if you wear contact lenses.

Too much rubbing can affect your vision, changing your prescription by shortening or lengthening the distance between lens and retina. It can also cause an increase in intraocular eye pressure, which is especially dangerous for those already suffering from elevated eye pressure.

To learn more about ways to preserve the health of your eyes, please call or email Bochner Eye Institute today.