Digital Eye Strain Relief in Lindsay

Name: Russell West Optometry
Address: 67 Russell Street West, Lindsay, ON, K9V 2X1
Telephone: (705) 324-2612

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One of the hallmarks of the 21st century is digital device use. We use these devices to work and play, to educate ourselves and create new things. Unfortunately, spending too much time on these devices may cause eye discomfort. This discomfort is called digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome.

Digital eye strain is as inconvenient as it is uncomfortable, keeping you from enjoying all of your favourite digital devices. Whether you are relying on your eyes to help you nail that big report or to lead your online team to victory, you want them working at peak comfort and efficiency.

If you’re experiencing digital eye strain, please give our team a call. We can help you find the right relief for you.

What is Digital Eye Strain

Despite the name, digital devices aren’t actually the root cause of the problem. There is a lot of misinformation out there about blue light and how it can cause digital eye strain, but it isn’t the device itself that’s to blame, it’s the prolonged close focusing associated with digital device use.

Digital eye strain is caused by focusing too long on a nearby object. Whenever you’re focusing hard on a task, your eyes tend to blink less frequently, leading to your eyes feeling dry and irritated. Prolonged near focusing also causes your eye muscles to become fatigued, which may cause focusing problems. Some other symptoms can include:

Blurry vision
Headaches
Sensitivity to light
Difficulty concentrating
Dry eyes

Refractive errors such as hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), and presbyopia can exacerbate these symptoms even further.

What Are Some Eye Strain Relief Strategies?

Before you Google how to manage your digital eye strain, you should speak to your optometrist. Since your optometrist is intimately familiar with your eyes and their needs, they are best suited to help you find strategies that work for you.

What your optometrist suggests will vary from person to person, but some common remedies include:

New technology lens as well as anti reflective coatings, specific to screen usage
Using artificial tears
Adjusting your workplace ergonomics and daily environment. These changes may include adding a humidifier to your home or office or simply adjusting the height and brightness of your computer monitor.
Following the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, give your eyes a break from your current task by looking at an object about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives your eye muscles a chance to relax.