Screen time and tired eyes
If your eyes feel sore, dry or heavy at the end of a day at a screen, you are in good company. Many of the people who come to see us say the same thing.
What is going on
Two things tend to happen when we look at a screen. We blink less, sometimes a good deal less, so the surface of the eye dries out. And we hold our focus at one distance for hours, which can leave the focusing muscles tired. The result is often called digital eye strain: gritty or burning eyes, headaches, blurry vision that clears with a rest, and a sore neck from leaning in.
Screens do not seem to damage the eye itself, but they can make the symptoms of dry eye or an out-of-date prescription much more noticeable.
Things that help
- Take breaks. The 20-20-20 habit is easy: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds.
- Blink on purpose. It sounds silly. It helps.
- Set up your screen. The top of the screen should be roughly at eye level or slightly below, about an arm's length away, and not in line with a bright window.
- Check the light. Avoid glare, and avoid a very bright screen in a dark room.
- Look after the air. Heating and air conditioning dry the eyes. A glass of water and a window open help a little.
- Use the right glasses. A small prescription you do not wear, or reading glasses that are not quite right, can make the strain worse.
Do blue light glasses help?
The evidence that blue light filters reduce eye strain is not strong. Some people like them, and we offer a blue light filter on lenses for £25 extra, but we would put breaks, a good set-up and the right prescription first.
When to see us
Come for an eye test if the symptoms are regular, if your vision is not clear even after a rest, or if you have not had a test for two years. If your eyes feel dry most days, our dry eye clinic can help you find what works. Our eye care range has drops and lid-care products.
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