Excessive Screen Time and Vision
Is Excessive Screen Time Bad for Your Vision?
Digital devices have become an ever-increasing presence in people's everyday lives. As many people find themselves stuck at home, excessive screen exposure has become a growing concern for eye health professionals. Can too much screen time affect your vision negatively?
The Effects of Too Much Screen Time
Eye strain and dry eyes are a common result of spending long hours staring at your screen. However, the chances of permanent vision damage are low. Though the long-term effects are small, minor eye issues can add up and can lead to lasting effects on your vision, especially in children.
The Common symptoms of too much screentime
Eye fatigue: Typical signs of eye fatigue are headaches, double vision, and decreased ability to focus.
Dry eyes: Due to lack of blinking, the production of tears that protects the surface of the eye is disrupted and evaporates more quickly.
Focus inflexibility: Staring at a screen for a prolonged period of time can put an extra burden on the eye muscles that help you focus. This can reduce your ability to quickly shift eye focus.
Nearsightedness: Research has shown that natural daylight is a vital factor in the development of healthy eyesight for children. Due to the indoor nature of digital usage, symptoms of nearsightedness in children have increased dramatically.
If you exhibit any of these symptoms, please contact Redondo Beach Optometry to schedule an eye exam appointment.
How Can I Prevent Digital Eyestrain?
Adjust lighting: Adjust the brightness of your screen so that your surrounding light is not brighter than your screen.
20/20/20 Rule: Recommended by the American Ophthalmological Society, the 20/20/20 rule encourages individuals to take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Keep eyes moist: Artificial tears or lubricant drops are adequate alternatives to relieve symptoms of irritation and dryness.
Reduce screen glare: It is important that you position the screen so that you do not produce a glare from sunlight or internal light. A glare can further aggravate the eye.
Increase Text Size: See screen content more easily by increasing the text size. This will decrease eye strain and allow your eye muscles to relax.
Annual eye exam: Schedule an annual eye exam with an eye care professional in order to maintain good vision health. Contact Redondo Optometry to schedule an appointment.
The issues caused by continuous screen exposure can be easily avoided by following the proper precautions and identifying the symptoms early on. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please contact the Redondo Optometry office and one of our staff members will be happy to answer any of your questions.