That sore, tired feeling in your eyes after a few hours of looking at a computer screen may be Digital Eye Strain, also known as Computer Vision Syndrome. Common symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Eye fatigue
- Headache
- Dry eyes / irritated eyes
- Double vision
- Frequently losing place when switching from computer to near work
- Neck pain / shoulder pain
60% of adults and up to 80% of teenagers report symptoms of Digital Eye Strain both during and immediately after viewing electronic devices.
What causes Digital Eye Strain
Computers and other digital devices emit high-energy short-wavelength blue light and glare. While this makes our devices more energy efficient, it puts stress on our visual system – making it difficult for our eyes to focus.
Another culprit is the accommodative and binocular stress that results from extended periods of near work. Proper magnification and refractive correction is crucial for comfortable and efficient eyes at your desk. Our doctors perform careful refractions and learn about your workspace to design the right lenses for your needs.
Did you know that when looking at electronic screens our blink rate slows by more than 50%? We actually forget to blink! This can result in dry eyes, which if not treated can be annoying, painful, and ultimately impact productivity.
Posture, proper task lighting, and positioning of your devices are other factors which may also be contributing to your symptoms.
Long term effects of Blue Light
Overexposure to high-energy visible blue light may also be impacting your health!
When using our devices at night, the high-energy blue light emitted from our screens (computers, tablets, smartphones, and even LED TVs) suppresses the secretion of sleep-inducing hormone, Melatonin. This makes it harder to fall asleep and reduces quality of sleep. Melatonin is not only important for sleep regulation, but also for maintaining normal blood sugar and blood pressure! More and more studies today link poor sleep with poor health.
High-energy blue light may also be prematurely aging our eyes! Because our eyes are unable to naturally block blue light, nearly all of it passes into the eye and is absorbed by the retina (the light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye). Studies suggest that continued exposure to blue light can lead to retinal damage, increasing risk for macular degeneration.
We can help!
At Norwalk Eye Care our doctors work with you to design glasses using a combination of lenses to properly focus the light for your work space, filter blue light, and block glare to give you healthier, more comfortable and productive eyes!
In case of emergency, please phone our office at the number listed above and follow the instructions.