5 Things to know about Digital Eyestrain
Here are 5 of the many things to know on Eyestrain related to Computers and other gadgets.
Almost everyone’s involved with a gadget nowadays. Some adult workers are using their computers and mobile devices, and some children even know how to operate a tablet as early as a toddler!
Currently, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, many people, especially the children, are more exposed to digital devices. One is because they spend most of their time at home due to the quarantine; the second is because they’re mostly participating in Online Classes.
So, are children and adults exempted from experiencing Digital Eyestrain? Is Blue-Light Protection Enough? Does having an “Anti-Rad” feature helps with fighting visual fatigue?
Here are some things you need to know about Digital Eyestrain:
1. Headache and Eyestrain are some of the symptoms of Digital Eyestrain
People who spend a lot of their time in front of the computer may complain of Headaches and Eyestrain. Headaches are often located in the forehead and temporally on the side of the head. At the same time, eyestrain is felt on the eyes and may radiate on the area surrounding the eye, such as the bridge of the nose and the eyebrow.
2. Doubling of Vision and slowness when changing Focus can be noticed
A person with visual fatigue may feel a doubling of vision when fixating on letters, especially in their phones or digital devices. They may also experience difficulty when refocusing from far to near and vice versa. It may happen along with the previously mentioned symptoms headache, and eyestrain.
3. Dry Eye can be present, both felt and unfelt
A person who spends a long time in front of their digital device may experience Dry Eye Syndrome. The most common symptom of Dry Eye Syndrome is dryness of the eye. Other symptoms are sudden excessive tearing and the urge to rub the eyes. Some people may feel the dryness and also experience the tearing, while some may not. Some people might not even experience anything and still have Dry Eye Syndrome.
An Eyecare practitioner can assess your tear's quality, see what kind of dry eye you have, and recommend approaches to relieve the eye.
(Read Dry Eye Syndrome)
4. “Anti-Rad” and Blue-Light protection may not be enough
Bought a Blue-Filter Lens without consulting an Eyecare practitioner?
There have been many “Anti-Rad” and Blue-Light Blocking Lenses that are sold online, with and without prescription. However, it may not be enough to fight Digital Eyestrain. This is because there are several factors that can contribute to Visual Fatigue, such as uncorrected vision, eye muscle problem, accommodation problem (Eye’s focusing ability at near), Dry Eye Syndrome, and many more.
There is no One Solution for Digital Eyestrain, which leaves us to the 5th thing you need to know:
5. Have your Vision Examined by a licensed Eyecare Practitioner
A Licensed Eyecare practitioner is a trained professional in assessing your vision and eye health concerns. They can assess any uncorrected vision such as Astigmatism, Myopia, especially Hyperopia and Presbyopia, which are crucial to experiencing Visual Fatigue.
Another thing an eye care practitioner can assess is your eye’s Extra Ocular Muscles and your eye’s ability to focus at near.
An Eyecare practitioner can also assess a person’s tear through a Slit-lamp biomicroscope or a specialized dry eye testing device. This exam is to check if there is a problem with the quality of a person’s tear and the quantity of your tear production and check the possible reason/s of your dry eye problem.
(Read: What is Computer Vision Syndrome?)
These are just a few things that you may experience among the many symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. Some may feel them all, while some may only notice a few of the symptoms. It is important to visit your trusted eye care provider if you find yourself being in front of a computer screen or cellphone for a very long time.
What are the usual things you experience after using the computer for a prolonged period of time?