Tips for Reducing Digital Eye Strain

We’re all getting a lot more screen time these days, and extra screen time can lead to eye strain and damage to your vision. Long-term exposure to blue light can damage your eye health. These tips can help you reduce digital eye strain and protect your eyesight.

Take Breaks

One of the best ways to protect your eyes from digital eye strain is to take breaks from staring at your screen. That doesn’t mean shift from looking at your computer screen to looking at your phone but to actually take a break from looking at any screen. Step outside and look at the horizon. The rule of thumb is that for every 20 minutes you look at a screen, you need to focus on something else at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. It’s easy to forget, though, and the next thing you know, an hour has gone by. An app or alarm can help.

Blink

While blinking it an autonomic function, we tend to blink less when staring at a screen. By focusing on blinking more regularly and more fully, you can ensure that your eyes stay more lubricated, which can reduce eye fatigue and dry eyes.

Ask for a Anti-Reflective Coating on Your Lenses

If you wear glasses, your eyes are working harder to see through the reflections (which you may not even notice consciously). An anti-reflective coating prevents your eyes from having to work harder than necessary when looking at the screen and can reduce digital eye strain and eye fatigue.

Progressive Lenses

If you already wear bifocals but spend much of your day working at a computer screen, you can alleviate some of the strain your eyes experience by getting progressive lenses. These lenses give you the ability to switch between near vision, using the bottom portion of the lens to computer screen distance using the middle of the lens to far vision using the upper portion of the lens. It reduces eye strain by giving you better vision correction for intermediate distances.

If you need a comprehensive eye exam or a prescription that will help you reduce digital eye strain, give us a call at (248) 334-4931 to schedule your consultation today! Wilkinson Eye Center has locations in Pontiac & Clarkston and serves all nearby areas in Michigan.

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