Digital eye strain: how to rest your eyes
Screens, both large and small, put your eyes to the test, causing stinging, watering, and eye strain. How can you avoid these inconveniences?
Screens are now indispensable in most jobs, and unavoidable in our private lives. This revolution has consequences for your eyes. Screen-related disorders alone account for 20% of consultations with opticians.
Dryness of the eyes is one of the main complaints. In front of a screen, we blink less often: but it is by fluttering our eyelids that we moisten them. Working and entertaining ourselves via screens has another impact: staring at an object for several hours tires your eyes. This eye strain can manifest itself in different ways, causing watering, a burning sensation, irritation, stinging, increased sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and headache.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, take action and talk to your Visilab optician. They will help you to find optical solutions adapted to your needs!
Myopia: a disorder on the rise
Regular and repeated use of computer and mobile screens also leads to an increase in myopia. This disorder affects 20% of the population and results in blurred vision at a distance, but clear vision at close range. It can be corrected very effectively with increasingly thin lenses or contact lenses. Read more about myopia.
Optical solutions to reduce eye strain
V-One Relax lenses help your eyes to accommodate (the natural process by which the eye focuses) and reduce eye fatigue, optimising your visual comfort when using screens.
Similarly, Eyexpert Dynamic lenses represent a real innovation in the field of contactology. They are designed for all contact lens wearers who suffer from symptoms of dryness and eye fatigue due to the use of digital devices. They are made from an advanced polymer material that allows moisture to be retained, helping natural hydration.
For the sake of your eyes, we would like to give you a few tips:
The right position in front of the screen
To begin with, it is important to position yourself correctly in front of your screen. Place yourself at the right distance, i.e., a good arm’s length away. Add 20 centimetres for large screens. The height is also important: your gaze should be horizontal as much as possible, or slightly tilted downwards.
The 20-20-20 rule and other recommendations:
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Every 20 minutes, look away for 20 seconds at an object 20 feet away (6.1 m
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Blink regularly to stop your eyes from drying out as much as possible
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Make sure there are no reflections on your screen, either from natural light or from a lamp
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Avoid placing your screen in front of a window to avoid backlighting
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Adjust the brightness and contrast of your screen
A relaxing exercise...
Despite all these measures, your eyes sometimes need a rest. Here is an exercise that we suggest you do as often as you like:
Relax the area around the eye by tapping your fingertips all over your face. Move from your temples to your chin, passing over your cheeks, then gently tap the area under your eyes, and finally go from your chin to your forehead, passing over the wings of your nose.
If you have any questions about eye strain and the various solutions available, contact your Visilab optician.
