Digital devices causing more cases of eye strain

He also recommends the use of computer glasses, which are yellow tinted glasses that reduce the blue light coming form the computer and can help reduce fatigue to the eyes.

Computers, tablets and smartphones are giving us more and more options to work with and entertain us. But these devices also are emerging as the cause of a growing health issue.

According to The Vision Council, many people now suffer from digital eye strain, a physical discomfort resulting from prolonged use of looking at the screens on digital devices.

“More than 83 percent of Americans report using digital devices for more than two hours per day and 53.1 percent report using two digital devices simultaneously, with 60.5 percent reporting experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain,” reports The Vision Council.

Dr. Michael P. Shaughnessy of University Ophthalmology Associates Inc., reports that on one recent day, he probably saw about three to four patients affected by too much time in front of a screen.

“We get more and more people in our office,” he said.

It’s typical for about 10 percent to 15 percent of adults to suffer from digital eye strain, Shaughnessy noted.

“It really starts around the late 30s, but we can still see it in teenagers and 20to 30-year-olds,” he said.

“It just depends on how many hours you’re spending, and if you are taking any precautions so

you don’t get eye strain,” Shaughnessy said.

He also noted that digital eye strain was something that was never a problem 10 years ago, because we didn’t spend so much time in front of a screen.

“People need to take a break from their workday,” he said. “We tell people to take a 10-15 minute break a couple times a day. Break up your day so you are not spending four to six hours in front of a screen.”

He points out that most people, when they do take a break, are still on a digital screen, focusing on their smartphones. Simply put, most people don’t give

their eyes a break during their breaks.

“From a desktop, to a laptop, to an iPad, to a cellphone, they are always on a screen,” Shaughnessy said.

He said one factor in digital eye strain is called accommodation.

“Accommodation is the ability for us to focus up close,” he said. “When you are young, you have tons of accommodation. So, 12-year-olds, 13-year-olds, they have plenty of accommodation.

“But when you’re older, your accommodation is not as strong, so you need to give it a little break so you are not overdoing your accommodation and losing the ability to use it when you need it.”

He points out that once most people reach their 40s, many of them need reading glasses, and sitting in front of a screen just puts more strain on their eyes.

“It’s definitely a trend for our eyes, that sitting in front of a screen is a growing problem,” Shaughnessy said.

Symptoms include headaches, dry eye, feeling like there is something in your eyes, because of not blinking as much. Shaughnessy notes that our blink rate can slow down two or three times the normal rate when you are in front of a screen and that would lead to your eyes drying out. Light sensitivity is also another symptom, he reports.

He recommends keeping screen color temperatures in the warmer zones where you can still see everything. He also notes that it’s not necessarily the contrast, but the color tones.

He also recommends using a larger font, or the size of text.

“Using a bigger screen with a big font so you don’t feel like your are reading everything in small print can be helpful,” he said.

Shaughnessy also notes that the blue light emitted from LCD and LED screens can cause a little more eye strain and interrupts sleep patterns.

“If you feel like you are squinting because the screen is so bright, then you want to dim the light or mute the colors. You want comfortable lighting, not too bright and not too dark,” the doctor said.

One of the things the doctor suggest to give your eyes a break is employing what they refer to as the 20-2020 rule. Every 20 minutes takes 20 seconds and look 20 feet away.

He also recommends the use of computer glasses, which are yellow tinted glasses that reduce the blue light coming form the computer and can help reduce fatigue to the eyes.

In addition, Shaughnessy strongly recommends that anyone having digital eye strain issues should have a thorough eye examination to make sure there isn’t another underlying problem that could be easily treated with glasses and reduce the eye strain.