All About Digital Eye Strain: Causes, Complications, Treatment, and Prevention

Most people experience it from time to time. You look up from your screen and realize your eyes feel fatigued and dry. In our modern age where screens are prevalent, nearly everyone has had their own experience with digital eye strain. 

But if you regularly feel this way, it’s time to take action, and we can help. Our team at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates can apply our eye health expertise to bring you relief from your eye strain. Here at our office in Aiea, Hawaii, we offer specialized eyeglasses to fight against this uncomfortable condition. 

Before we explore treating and preventing digital eye strain, let’s take a closer look at why it develops. 

Understanding digital eye strain

Digital eye strain, also called computer vision syndrome, develops because our eyes have to work harder to see words and images on a screen than in the real world or even on a printed page. 

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Eye fatigue

Eye strain doesn’t just affect your eyes, either. It can also cause complications like shoulder and neck pain. As you try to get a better view and relieve your tired eyes, you might look at the screen from different angles, causing tension in or strain on your upper body. 

If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s time to talk to our team. 

Treatment and prevention options

Here at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates, we can help you protect your eyes. We offer a variety of specialty eyeglasses that you can wear while looking at a screen. 

Your options include:

• Blue light-blocking glasses
• Stress-relieving lenses
• Computer specialty glasses

With lenses specifically designed to fight against digital eye strain, you get a way to proactively prevent symptoms. 

We recommend pairing your eyeglasses with some lifestyle changes. If you need to look at a screen for extended periods of time, like for work or school, use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something that’s about 20 feet away for 20 seconds or longer. This lets your eyes get a break and can go a long way toward preventing symptoms like headaches. 

How you view the screen also makes a difference. You want to be able to sit comfortably upright with the screen slightly below eye level and angled upward toward you. Investing in a stand for your computer, tablet, or other device can help to ease not just eye strain, but the postural problems that often come with a lot of screen time. 

To get protective eyeglasses and guidance on other steps you can take to prevent digital eye strain, call our office or book your visit online today.