Happy National Technology Day! Today serves as a great opportunity to embrace the ever-changing landscape of technology, and explore all the fun, convenient and just plain cool advancements that are around us. Technology has become a huge – and important – part of our lives. Just think about what you use your phone, computer/laptop or tablet for – online shopping, looking up recipes, emailing, playing games, checking the weather, reading this blog the list goes on! In fact, more than 87 percent of Americans report using digital devices for more than two hours per day, and 52.2 percent report using two digital devices simultaneously, according to The Vision Council’s 2017 blue light/digital eye strain report.
But have you ever considered the impact all this screen time has on your eyes? Blue light, which is also known as high energy visible (HEV) light, is a type of light emitted from digital screens. Exposure can result in: damage to the retina, long-term vision problems and sleep disruption. Additionally, you may also experience digital eye strain, which is the physical eye discomfort after screen use for longer than two hours. Symptoms include: eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain.
Lucky for you there’s a simple and stylish solution to your woes. Almost any pair of optical frames can be outfitted with specialized lenses featuring blue-light filtering capabilities to reduce the negative effects of blue light exposure, as well as anti-reflective or anti-glare properties. That means you can keep rocking your signature eyewear style, while keeping your eyes healthy and happy. It’s as simple as that!
In addition to eyewear solutions, other ways to relieve digital eye strain include:
- Following the 20-20-20 rule, taking a 20-second break from the screen every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet away
- Reducing overhead lighting to eliminate screen glare
- Positioning yourself at arm’s distance away from the screen for proper viewing distance when at a computer
- Increasing text size on devices to better define content on the screen
Check out TheVisionCouncil.org to learn more about blue light exposure and digital eye strain, as well as other helpful eye health tips, and head to your local eyecare provider for an annual eye exam and to discuss your digital device habits.
