Around 80% of Americans use digital devices for at least 2 hours a day, according to The Vision Council. And 2 hours of use every day is all it takes to experience digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome (CVS).

Signs to look out for that suggest you may be experiencing CVS include:

• Headaches
• Blurry vision
• Trouble focusing your vision
• Dry or watery eyes
• Red, irritated, tired or strained eyes
• Light sensitivity
• Neck, shoulder or back pain resulting from poor posture while using a digital screen

For many of us, reducing our use of digital devices isn’t always possible, especially now that most people are working from home, given the current COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why during Workplace Eye Wellness Month, we wanted to focus on what you can do to avoid CVS by suggesting some eye protection tips.

Eye protection from computer use

It is a good idea to wear glasses that provide eye protection from computer screens but there are 5 other things you can do on top of this:

• Light it right – your digital screen should be as bright as your immediate surrounding environment, which could mean adjusting the brightness and contrast of your screen and reducing the internal lighting.
• Get rid of glare – glare occurs when light reflects off your screen, so try to reduce this by turning the front of your screen away from windows and using an anti-glare screen.
• Size up your screen – larger screens help prevent eye strain but they should also be viewed from the correct distance, for example, your computer screen should be placed 20–26 inches away from your eyes.
• Take a break – give your eyes a rest every 20 minutes for 20 seconds by focusing on something 20 feet away.
• Moisturize – staring at a screen reduces how often you blink and blinking helps keep your eyes lubricated, so pause every 20 minutes to slowly blink 10 times and if necessary use hydrating eye drops.

Glasses to protect eyes from computer screen exposure

As we’ve already mentioned, your eyewear can also be customized to better protect your eyes from computer screens. Anti-glare coatings offer a more comfortable visual experience but today you can also choose to use BluTech lenses, available at Davis Eye Care Associates, your eye doctor in Oak Lawn.

Glasses with BluTech lenses filter out blue light which is thought to be partly responsible for CVS. The lenses are made with an agent that mimics pigments in the eye that naturally protect us from blue light.

More eye protection tips and support

Eye protection at work isn’t limited to computer glasses. If you work in industries such as construction or manufacturing, you also need to wear appropriate protective eyewear, such as goggles and safety glasses with side shields, where appropriate.

Whether you are looking to get cheap designer eyeglasses online to protect eyes from computer screen exposure, or protective eyewear based on your industry, our eye doctors are here to give you advice. Call us today or send a message, we’ll endeavour to give you the best recommendations for your personal and lifestyle needs!