Digital eye strain and fatigue: How to keep your eyes healthy?

In the modern digital era, people spend hours in front of screens, which causes extreme strain as well as computer vision syndrome. Prolonged use of digital devices can lead to a condition called dry eyes, as the blink rate decreases and tears evaporate more quickly. The blink rate decreases rapidly when you spend hours in front of digital devices, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Digital eye strain is a relatively recent phenomenon associated with excessive use of digital devices. The lifestyles of people have drastically changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, as online classes and working from home have become a common occurrence. Additionally, prolonged periods of sitting in front of a computer can also lead to various diseases and health issues. Prolonged screen time has become an unavoidable factor in the lives of young professionals in this digital age.

Symptoms
Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is a common condition caused by prolonged use of digital screens, resulting in symptoms such as discomfort, headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes. These are some of the factors that lead to dry eyes:
Low blink rate
You would blink your eyes only occasionally when you concentrate your vision on a single screen. Blinking eyes is inevitable to keep the eyes moist and to evenly distribute the tears.

Evaporation of tears
A low blink rate causes tears to evaporate too quickly, leading to dryness and discomfort in the eyes. Dry eyes and other symptoms of computer vision syndrome can affect your daily activities as well as your performance in the workplace. In some cases, dryness could even cause pain in the eye and adversely affect the quality of life. Eye diseases and issues caused by increased screen time have now become a common health crisis in the modern age. It could lead to excessive expenses in the medical field as well as losses in the production sector. Dry eye causes not only extreme discomfort but a hefty financial burden, too.

Here is how you could prevent dry eyes
Behavioural modifications: You can practice blinking exercises by following the 20-20-20 rule. This is a simple and effective technique to reduce eye strain caused by prolonged screen time. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Eye drops: Lubricating eye drops could be used to keep the eyes moist and comfortable.
Blue light filter: You could wear blue light filter glasses or change the settings on the phone to reduce problems caused by blue light emitted from the screen.
Proper lighting: Ensure that the areas where you use the screen are well-lit. Besides, reducing the light or brightness on the screen may also be helpful.

Regular eye testing
Getting your eyes tested by an ophthalmologist at regular intervals is essential to diagnose eye diseases or changes in eyesight at an early stage.
Outdoor activities
Indulging in outdoor activities will reduce screen dependency, help in improving eye health as well as general wellbeing.