Digital Eye Strain | Lafayette

Your Computer Shouldn’t Compromise Your Vision

Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is a group of symptoms that stem from digital screen use. You may notice your eyes feeling tired, dry, or sore after significant time online, or experience headaches and neck or shoulder tension.

Extended periods of computer, tablet, and smartphone use cause our eyes to work harder. Like any muscle that is overused, our eye muscles can become fatigued, resulting in digital eye strain.

If you’re experiencing discomfort while using digital devices, let us know during your next appointment. Book your eye exam today.

Signs You’re Experiencing Digital Eye Strain

If you notice eye discomfort or vision problems after prolonged screen use, you could have digital eye strain. Common symptoms include:

Eye strain
Blurred vision
Dry eyes
Headaches
Neck and shoulder pain

These symptoms often improve when you take a sufficient break from screens, but can return when you’re in front of your device again. To find long-term relief, you may need to explore environmental adjustments or customized eyewear options.

How to Manage
Digital Eye Strain

Most of us cannot avoid our devices altogether. We need to be online for work, to communicate with friends and family, to book appointments, to study, or to stay informed about current events.

As digital devices play such an important role in our daily lives, mitigating digital eye strain is necessary to keep up with demands and responsibilities. At Luminance Vision, we can offer personalized advice, treatments, and customized eyewear recommendations to soothe your symptoms and help you regain your comfort.

Additionally, it’s important to make sure your glasses or contact lens prescription is up-to-date. Wearing an outdated prescription can increase the strain on your eyes, exacerbating your symptoms.

There are a few options to improve your eyewear for digital device use. One option is getting a prescription designed for intermediate distances, or approximately the distance between you and your computer screen. We offer digital lenses that are designed to support your eyes while working long hours on a computer.

We also offer special lens tints or coatings that can help reduce visual discomfort when using digital screens for prolonged periods. A blue light filter is one type of lens coating that can be added to your glasses lenses. Blue light is a type of light that is emitted from digital devices, which may contribute to strain and can impact your circadian rhythm.

Regular breaks can be beneficial when it comes to reducing digital eye strain. If you have trouble remembering to take breaks during the workday, the 20-20-20 rule can help. Every 20 minutes, make sure you take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

This helps your eyes reset and refocus, reducing the strain from focusing on a single distance and a flickering screen for hours at a time.

Poor sitting posture and an improperly configured desk could be big contributors to your digital eye strain. Following proper desk ergonomics can go a long way to reducing your symptoms.

Make sure your computer screen is an arm’s length away from your face and 4 to 5 inches below eye level. Also, make sure that your arms don’t rest on your keyboard. Try using a wrist pad to position your arms in a way that allows you to relax your neck and shoulders.

Dry eye is a condition that can worsen digital eye strain. If you’re experiencing dry eye due to a lack of sufficient tears or poor-quality tears, your comfort online may be impacted.

Treating your dry eye can also improve your digital eye strain by improving your eyes’ lubrication and overall comfort. The dry eye treatments recommended to you will depend on the root cause of your condition.

Screen Time for Kids

Kids can experience digital eye strain as well. Just as with adults, poor posture, long hours on screens, and non-optimized vision correction can lead to strain.

Additionally, children with significant screen time and near-work activities are at an increased risk for myopia. Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, can progress rapidly during childhood, leading to worsening vision and risks of serious eye conditions.

We encourage children to spend more time outdoors to support their eye health and growth. Outdoor play can help slow myopia onset and progression, and has additional physical and mental health benefits. Together with healthy habits, regular comprehensive eye exams help support your child’s healthy visual development, regardless of their screen time.

Care for Your Vision
While Online

Support your vision through routine eye exams, wearing up-to-date eyewear, maintaining proper ergonomics, and giving your eyes a break from screens. If digital devices are causing you significant discomfort that cannot be alleviated with at-home strategies, visit us. We’re happy to support your comfortable, strain-free vision.

Whether you’re looking for customized eyewear solutions (such as digital lenses for glasses or contacts) or you’d like to explore options to relieve dry eye, Luminance Vision is here to help. Book your appointment today.

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