Digital Eye Strain — Ways to Prevent It

Digital eye strain…we hear a lot about it from those in the business and from our patients.  More and more patients with very mild prescriptions are coming in and complaining about this type of eye strain.

And it’s no wonder.  Our eyes weren’t really designed to focus up close for hours at a time, but that’s what happens for many of us while working on a computer. If you’re like most people, you also look at your phone and tablet for many hours per day when away from your desk.

I’ve been writing separate prescriptions for many of my patients that are designed to focus primarily on that arm’s length range that usually extends 2 to 3 feet away.  I’m wearing my CompuClear lenses right now as I’m putting this post together.  It keeps me from having to bob my head up and down like I would have to do in my progressive lenses.  The added prism in my glasses also helps me so that I don’t have to turn my eyes inward so far, which dramatically reduces eye strain for me.

The folks at AllAboutVision.com put together a nice infographic that points out 7 things that contribute to eye strain.  I would add another “thing” and that would be a glare reduction treatment.  New research has shown that the blue-violet wavelength of light from digital screens can be harmful to the eyes over time.  So I’ve begun to recommend the new Crizal Prevencia lens treatment.  Not only does it filter out much of that potentially harmful wavelength, it also improves resistance to glare, scratches, dust and smudges.  If you don’t come see me for your next eye exam, be sure to ask your doctor about it.  It’s highly recommended for children also, because they can spend just as much time looking at a computer screen too.