Eye strain in a digital world

If you’re like most Filipinos, you spend nine hours and 29 minutes a day on the Internet, says London-based consultancy We Are Social in their Digital 2018 report.

Cut the glare by purchasing a screen filter. There are filters available for phones, tablets and laptops.

Do you get dry, tired, itchy and burning eyes at the end of the day? It could be because of a number of factors. It could also be because of digital eye strain, a.k.a. computer vision syndrome.

We, Filipinos, happen to be the world’s top users in terms of social media usage. If you’re like most Filipinos, you spend nine hours and 29 minutes a day on the Internet, says London-based consultancy We Are Social in their Digital 2018 report.

This habit can understandably affect your eyes as they’re forced to work hard and strain to focus on the tiny words and images in your digital devices. The fatigue your eyes are subjected to can also be caused by its tendency to blink less often when looking at computer screens.

Given the reality of today’s digital world, how do you protect your eyes from the glare of your mobile gadgets? How do you protect your eyes from digital eye strain?

It is important to teach eye care at a young age.

Here are four actions you can take today to prevent digital eye strain:

1. Use desktop apps that combat eye fatigue.

Entrepreneur magazine recommends these free eye health desktop apps (Blackman, 2015):

Awareness promotes awareness by reminding you to take breaks with the soothing and steady tone of a Tibetan singing bowl. It also monitors usage to ensure that you actually take breaks.

EVO prompts you to relax your eyes with a beep every 20 minutes. You can customize your breaks, but the default “20-20-20” plan (every 20 minutes, take a break for at least 20 seconds and look at objects that are 20 feet away) is most commonly used.

Eyeleo periodically dims your screen and pops up messages that encourage you to move your body. You can also choose to temporarily disable the periodic breaks or take unscheduled breaks if need be.

2. Adjust the glare on your screen and in your environment.

Cut the glare by purchasing a screen filter. There are filters available for phones, tablets and laptops. Make sure, too, that the lighting in the room you’re in is bright enough. You don’t want your device to be brighter than the surroundings. That means no more e-reading in the dark!

Taking a break from your desk allows you to stretch your limbs and socialize with others. It also allows you to take a prolonged break from the background, glare and flickering of your computer screen. Let’s face it: it’s just too tempting to compulsively check your inbox when you stay at your desk during meals.

4. Munch on food that promote good eye health.

While it doesn’t directly prevent computer eye strain, eating food rich in Vitamin A such as carrots and sweet potatoes help promote overall eye health. Gary Heiting, OD shares that vitamin A helps the surface of the eye, mucous membranes and skin be effective barriers to bacteria and viruses, thus reducing the risk of eye infections. Its role in protecting the cornea — or the surface of the eye — is also essential for good vision (All About Vision, 2015).

Gary Heiting, OD shares that vitamin A helps the surface of the eye, mucous membranes and skin be effective barriers to bacteria and viruses, thus reducing the risk of eye infections.

WebMD’s article “How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy” also advises nourishing yourself with food types that are rich in specific nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E (2018). Examples of such food include the following:

Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale;

If you typically end your day with dry and tired eyes, blurry vision or an achy head, neck and shoulders, all that time you spend online might be the culprit. Managing your diet and how you use your digital devices will help keep you from straining your eyes.