Did you know? Over 50% of people experience digital eye strain, with many reporting using digital devices for more than 2 hours a day and often using multiple devices simultaneously. (Optometrists)
In recent times, the world has been witnessing robust growth in eye damage cases because we are completely shifting our work habitat to the digital platform.
Many institutions are conducting their sessions via the Internet; for example, you can pursue an online BSN to FNP program while sitting in your comfort space. But it is resulting in many incurable sight problems.
In this blog post, we are going to take a comprehensive overview of these lifestyle diseases and learn some important prevention methods.
Catch up till the end!
Symptoms of Eyestrain
The first step to taking care of your eyes is knowing when to stop what you’re doing and rest. Just like every part of your body, the eyes can become strained when overused or taxed. This results in what is rather unimaginatively named “eyestrain,” and although generally not serious, it can be very uncomfortable, especially if it occurs regularly. Knowing the symptoms of eyestrain is the best way to avoid it. The symptoms are:
- Irritated, painful eyes
- Excessive moisture or dryness
- Blurry vision or seeing double
- Headaches
- Soreness in the neck, shoulders, and back
- Light sensitivity
- Decreased focus
- Difficulty keeping eyes open
If you have eyestrain symptoms, take a break away from a screen and close your eyes for 5-10 minutes. Give your eyes a chance to rest and relax.
20-20 Rule
You may have heard of 20-20 used as the scale to check visual acuity. The rule behind this scale is a measure of how well you can see something from 20 feet away vs how well a person with “normal” vision might see it from 20 feet away. For instance, if you have 20-10 vision, you see an object 20 feet away with the same clarity that most other people would see at 10 feet, meaning your vision is excellent.
Understanding where you fall on the 20-20 scale and why is key to getting treatment through glasses, medication, or surgery, that will help reduce the strain on your eyes. It is important to understand how your body functions so that you can treat it well.
Screen Positioning and Lighting
The term “ergonomics’ has risen in popularity recently, as wellness trends and a social emphasis on health have led to people wanting to look after themselves at work. The resulting interest in the proper use of screens and an ergonomic (physically sustainable and healthy) desk arrangement has meant that all over the world more people are investing in office infrastructure that promotes a healthy body.
What some don’t know is that the positioning of screens and how our eyes interact with the light from them also carry ergonomic concerns.
Visual ergonomics is a sub-discipline of ergonomics that promotes a healthy ocular relationship with screens and media. Current experts recommend that for optimal visual ergonomics, screens be placed so that the top line of the text is at eye level, and that the lighting matches the surroundings to decrease visual fatigue and strain. The use of blue light glasses is also recommended.
Blue Light and Circadian Rhythms
Speaking of blue light glasses, if you’ve not heard of them before, here’s a quick explanation. Blue light is an invisible color in the light spectrum. However, despite their invisibility, blue light waves are no less powerful than standard UV light.
However, as a spectrum of UV light, that means we’re surrounded by it every time we go out. So why is it such a concern now? Because LED lights produce a massive quantity of blue light, and unlike the sun, we’re looking directly at LED screens every time we interact with television, go to work, or check our phones. We’re exposed to more concentrated blue light dosage than we have ever been before in our history.
Blue light has several negative effects, but it’s also known to play havoc with sleep cycles. It is therefore important to minimize concentrated screen time if you’re not wearing blue-light filtering glasses and to ensure that you’re staying away from tech close to bedtime.
Get Your Eyes Checked
Keeping up with health requires patience, knowledge, and professional advice. Therefore to look after your eyes properly in the digital age, it is important to get your eyes checked regularly, or as often as you can. Not only does this ensure that your eyes are healthy, but it ensures that if there is any sign of any kind of preventable ocular disease or ailment, it is caught early, giving any possible treatment the best chance of working.
