We devote half our waking hours to interacting with digital media channels across multiple devices. It has changed the way we work, learn, shop, socialise and relax. Our eyes are not accustomed to the digital environment, often resulting in symptoms of digital eye strain. We offer a range of innovative lenses designed for the digital world to help relax and protect your eyes and keep them feeling fresh throughout the day.
Digital Eye Strain is the physical eye discomfort felt by many individuals after two or more hours in front of a digital screen. Symptoms can include one or more of the following and severity varies depending on the individual and time spent on digital media:
– Eye strain/fatigue
– Dry, itchy, burning or red eyes
– Blurred vision
– Headache
– Neck/shoulder/back pain
Recent studies show that as many as 65% of digital device users experience digital eye strain symptoms, with approximately 75% of people who use two or more devices simultaneously affected.*
– Eyes are focusing more intensively and repeatedly to adjust the frequent switching between devices, as well as to increasingly smaller, pixelated characters and bright, glowing screens. – Digital devices are backlit and emit blue light that can cause strain and discomfort and is linked to disrupted sleeping patterns.
– A new reading zone in ultra near vision has evolved with the smartphone, placing even greater demands on our eyes.
– The normal blinking rate is often reduced by half, making your eyes feel dry and uncomfortable.**
– Our posture has changed as we lean toward our screens or slouch in our chairs, putting strain on the neck and back.*
In response to our changing visual environment, innovative lens technology alleviates digital eye strain by eliminating glare, filtering out blue light and preventing vision fatigue. The good news is that digital lens innovation caters to both prescription and non-prescription wearers affected by digital eye strain. These “computer” or “occupational” lenses are designed to relax and protect your eyes by providing clear viewing at typical screen viewing distance, as well as reducing blurriness, pixelation, brightness and glare. If you wear prescription glasses currently, computer lenses will not only combat eye strain, but likely deliver postural benefits as your focus will be optimised for close up and screen viewing.
Understanding the demands of digital device usage on your eyes is just one of the aspects we will discuss with you as part of our 360° comprehensive eye consultation. Knowing how much time you spend in front of digital screens, the setup of your digital environment and the type of work you do, allows us to prescribe a tailored digital vision solution for you.
– Remember to blink often
– Take breaks from staring at your digital screen
– Use the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes in front of a digital device, take a 20 second break and look at objects 20 feet (7 metres) away
– Adjust the display settings of your devices
– Wear glasses designed for digital device use
^ Australia: The Digital Media Nation, McCrindle Research, August 2013
* Eyes Overexposed: The Digital Device Dilemma, 2016 Digital Eye Strain Report, The Vision Council, US
** Computer Vision Syndrome Affects Millions, J. Brody, NY Times May, 2016