Protecting Your Eyes From Digital Fatigue

Did you know that the average time people spend online every day is now 6 hours? For people who work on computers, that number is going to be much higher. All that screen time can be hard on your eyes. Digital eye strain can cause headaches, fatigue, burning, dry eyes, and blurred vision. Read on as a Lake Stevens, WA optometrist offers some advice on how to protect your eyes.

Give Yourself Breaks

It’s easy to get drawn into something, whether it’s work, gaming, or even just watching videos or movies online. Keep the 20/20/20 rule in mind. Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to focus on something 20 feet away. This gives your eyes a chance to reset. You’ll also want to take longer breaks regularly, about every two hours or so.

Use Blue Light Filters

You likely know about the light spectrum, and the different colors and wavelengths of light. Blue light is actually the most dangerous. It’s present in sunlight, but it’s also emitted from screens. Check the settings on your phone or computer. If there is a blue-light filter, apply it. If not, buy a separate filter or blue-light filtering glasses.

Settings

Tweaking your computer settings can also help. Lowering the color temperature will reduce the amount of blue light your screen emits. You may also need to adjust the contrast, and/or increase your font size.

Optimize Your Setup

Having the proper setup is also important. You want your computer screen to be about an arm’s length away from your face, and at a height so you need to look down just slightly.

Get Outdoors

Many of us are online almost all day, every day. Make it a habit to unplug when you can, either on weekends or after work. Spend some time outside when it’s nice. Just remember to wear your sunglasses!

Blink

One reason screen time is so hard on our eyes is because people often forget to blink. Try to remember to blink regularly!

Get Exams

Last but certainly not least, be sure to visit your eye doctor regularly. It’s important to ensure that any vision correction you need is still the right prescription. It’s also to screen for developing issues, which are often asymptomatic at first.

Do you need a new set of glasses? Contact us, your Lake Stevens, WA eye care center, anytime!