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Everyone should be aware of a potential risk if you are one of the 90% of adults who spend two or more hours each day in front of a screen of some kind: digital eye strain, commonly known as computer vision syndrome. More and more of us spend our entire day using our smartphones, tablets, computers, or other digital gadgets, from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to bed. We all have a device addiction, regardless of the reason, which is something we all have in common. The digital age offers both advantages and disadvantages.
Our largest addiction in the modern era is turning out to be our smartphones. A study by GSMA Intelligence estimates that there are roughly 7.19 billion people on the planet and 7.22 billion mobile devices. It implies that there are more mobile gadgets on the planet than humans, which is a major digital threat to humans.
Our eyes are suffering the most as a result of all this digital commotion. Yes, as we strain our eyes all day, our vision suffers. This issue is becoming more prevalent, especially among children.
What is Digital Eye Strain?
Overuse of screens can result in digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, which makes the eyes uncomfortable and tired. Your productivity as well as your general health may suffer from digital eye strain. Consult the best eye hospital in Mangalore if you require treatment for digital eye strain.
Symptoms of Digital Eye Strain
The blink rate may decrease by up to 66% on average when concentrating for extended periods of time on digital gadgets, leading to dry, itchy, or burning eyes. Some common symptoms of digital eye strain include:
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Headaches
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Neck and shoulder pain
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Weariness
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Eye strain
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Hazy vision
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Trouble focusing
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Dry, red, and irritated eyes
Effects of Screen Time on Eye Health
Long-term screen use has other effects in addition to eye strain. Blinking is significantly less frequent in people who stare at screens than in those who do not. Blinking insufficiently can exacerbate or cause the symptoms of dry eyes.
Hours spent in front of a screen and less time spent outside have been linked to an increased risk of myopia (near-sightedness) in kids and teenagers in recent research.
Digital screens' blue light has been found to interfere with the body's circadian rhythm, which has a negative impact on sleep cycles. Blue light-blocking spectacles are one remedy.
Ways to Protect Our Eyes in the Digital Age
There are some precautions that can be taken to safeguard our eyes if screen usage puts us at risk for digital eye strain.
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Creating a workspace that encourages proper posture The computer's display should be centred at about arm's length and eye level. By doing so, one can maintain a straight back and a comfortable viewing distance.
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Screen placement should reduce glare. It should not be tilted upward.
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Some ophthalmologists advise purchasing computer eyewear with anti-reflective lenses that can also be paired with a specifically made coating that selectively absorbs and inhibits blue light.
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Observing the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and stare at anything that is at least 20 feet away.
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The brightness of the device can be changed. Making the background cool grey rather than glaring white is most often recommended.
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Reducing the amount of ambient light that the device's screen must contend with.
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Enlarging the text size for easy reading
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One should always remember to blink. Through blinking, our eyes stay lubricated and healthy.
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If there are kids at home, parents should set a good example by limiting both their own and their kids' screen usage.
Consult a top eye doctor if you want to know more about how to protect your eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How can we save our eyes in the digital age?
It is recommended to follow the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, the individual should take a 20-second break and look at anything at least 20 feet away. Adjusting their device's brightness is also recommended. Considering adjusting the colour of the background from blinding white to cool grey is also advised to save our eyes in the digital world. Reducing the amount of overhead and ambient light competing with the device's screen is also considered important.
2. How do you take care of your eyes in the digital world?
Reducing glare by adjusting the screen lighting is recommended to protect our eyes in the digital world. Maintaining a low contrast and brightness level on the device is another way in which we can protect our eyes. Extremely bright screen settings create blue Light,' which strains our eyes and harms our vision. One should always remember to blink their eyes to keep the eyes lubricated.
3. What are the ways to protect your eyes?
We can protect our eyes by following some precautions, which are illustrated below:
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Create a workspace that encourages proper posture.
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Screen placement should reduce glare. It should not be tilted upward.
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Purchase computer eyewear with anti-reflective lenses that can also be paired with a specially made coating that selectively absorbs and inhibits blue light.
-
Observe the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and stare at anything that is at least 20 feet away.
-
The brightness of the device can be changed.
-
Reduce the amount of ambient light that the device's screen must contend with.
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Enlarge the text size for easy reading.
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One should always remember to blink their eyes.
4. What is the 20-20 rule for eyes?
Long periods of staring at a screen might cause eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule can help prevent this issue. Every 20 minutes of screen time, a person should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Following the rule is an excellent way to remind yourself to take frequent breaks.
