How To Prevent Digital Eye Strain: 5 Tips For Eye Health

5 Essential Tips to Prevent Digital Eye Strain and Improve Eye Health

Prolonged screen work can cause problems like strain and dryness in the eyes. Anyone with a screen time of more than 5-6 hours a day is prone to dry eyes. Screen time includes visual work on digital devices like phones, tablets, laptops, desktops and televisions. Digital eye strain is an issue of concern amongst all individuals who spend prolonged time in front of the screen. The prevalence of digital eye strain is 69% in adults, whereas it is seen to be 50% in youngsters. Such heavy strain on the eyes from a young age can be very problematic in their adult lives. It is essential to monitor their screen time and engage them elsewhere. Digital eye strain is more harmful to women than to men, so women should be more careful about their screen time and eye health.

How Can Eye Problems Caused by Prolonged Screen Time Be Prevented?

1. Follow the 20-20-20 rule while working long hours on digital devices.
2. Protect your eyes against direct air from fans, AC vents, blowers, and heaters. Ensure that air vents are either behind or on the sides of your head and not directly on your face while working on the screen.
3. Additional use of air humidifiers can also help minimize dry eye symptoms. Anti-glare glasses can also help by adding a protective barrier to prevent eyes from drying out.
4. In case of itching and foreign body sensations, dry cold compression using ice packs is helpful.
5. Staying well hydrated with at least 8-10 glasses of water daily and getting quality sleep for about 7-8 hours daily can do wonders for eye health.

Dry Eye Symptoms

• Dry eye symptoms include heaviness of the eyes, eye strain, eye pain, itching, a foreign body sensation of grittiness, watering, and intermittent blurring of vision. Lubricating tear drops, preferably preservative-free, should be used frequently, and an ophthalmologist should be consulted in case of persistent symptoms.
• As our lives shift to a more virtual mode every year, we must be more cautious of how this can be a health hazard. Aspects of life like education, career, and even social life are all digital now. You are now attracted to them and obliged to keep up with the digitalization of our lives. Nutrition is a big part of eye health; consuming the right food can contribute to good vision.

You can stay healthy even in this digital era by taking the proper measures to maintain a healthy lifestyle and be more grounded.