Digital Dilemma Directive

Calling all vision health preservers!

I am guessing that you are reading this blog because you want to protect you eye health. Or the health of your kids! Or your parents! Or you’re just curious about eyes, and so I need to convince you to protect yours with this post. Well you’ve found the right place! Today’s post is probably one of the best you could have found because it is about a COMMON vision problem facing us today. Digital Eye Strain! Or Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) as it is medically termed. As stated in Midwest Lens’s tweet and blog post (one of my favorites, check it out! http://www.midwestlens.com/blogger/ ) fewer than 1 in 5 adults have heard of Digital Eye Strain, though today it is the most common repetitive strain injury, beating even tendonitis.
After reading Midwest Lens’ blog blurb a few weeks ago I shared it in a Facebook post. Here I want to expound on what else I found.

SO! What is it? CVS is eye damage primarily caused by our high exposure to digital devices. Smart Phones, Tablets, TVs, Navigation Devices, and of course the big fat screen that most of us stare at all day....the computer. Good grief my eyes are starting to water just thinking about this!



To add insult to injury, this problem is affecting children more than most parents realize! Kids not only spend more time around screens while watching TV, gaming and using phones, but they also regularly use computers and are under harsh florescent lighting while at school for long hours. Many children may not understand symptoms and are unable to explain what they need to you. Look out for little ones rubbing their eyes or any redness, tiredness or headaches. 

 The damage, according to what I found, is three-fold.

#1 Overworked Eyes. When we look at these screens our eyes are constantly having to refocus and reposition to process what we are seeing. Graphics, text, flashes, it’s all changing constantly so our eyes change to keep up. This repetitive refocusing causes A LOT of stress on our eyes, making them fatigued. Pixels are especially hard to focus on. Work 9-5 in front of those bad boys and your eyes are in for a world of hurt!

#2 Blinking! Have you ever been watching a movie you’re super into (There is NO way she is going into that dark room where the scary music is coming from!) then tried to blink and it’s like dragging plastic wrap across a cactus? Bingo. While using these devices we blink ½ to ⅓ the number of times we do normally. That’s dry! Blinking moistens, lubricates, and cleans our eyes. When we stop that...it’s bad news.
 

#3 Not only are eyes taken into account, but other symptoms are caused by the same problem. Neck and back pain, headaches, etc. are all part of the package of overuse and poor ergonomics while using these toys.

In a nutshell: Redness, itchiness, blurred vision, dryness, back/neck pain, headaches, general fatigue....all yours to be had for the low price of a few hours a day on a computer. Sign me up! Not.

So how do we prevent all of this?

Well, besides greatly reducing our usage of these devices (Bhaaahahaha!! Right.) here are a few tips to keep the symptoms to a minimum.

Stay hydrated! Make those few blinks count by drinking lots of water throughout the day, especially at work. Some foods also help to keep our eyes lubricated and healthy. Fatty fish, broccoli, carrots (yes that’s a real one) eggs, garlic blueberries...and an overall balanced diet will keep you feeling better.

Ergonomics is also a big one! Set up your desk/computer position to enhance comfort and ease during usage. Keep your computer screen at eye level or lower, where your eyes naturally rest. Keep your shoulders dropped and forearms roughly level with wrists supported. Have an adjustable chair to keep you high enough and support your feet. Sit up nice and tall, slouching really does make the whole situation worse! Also keep your computer screen flat or close to it. This reduces glare and keeps the images undistorted and easier to process.

Fix up your environment. Have the screen brightness and contrast adjusted for comfort. Increase font size (Yeah, rock that grandma font! No offense to grandma’s :P). Reduce overhead lighting, and shine lamps on the desk but away from your face or screen.

Last but not least, follow the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes on the computer (TV, tablet...) look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to allow your eyes to unwind. (Betcha just tried it :P) Breathe deeply and blink during this rest period.
 

A few additional things that can help are to ALWAYS get a good Anti-reflective coating (AR) on your lenses. This cuts the glare bouncing off of screens and lights that add to this eye strain. Many computer lenses also have a slight tint, usually yellow, to increase contrast and filter harmful light rays. Consider a pair of computer or occupational lenses, with a slight power increase in the reading zone, such as Midwest’s Perfecta Ease. These give your eyes a little boost, so they don’t have to work so hard.

Some lucky people have no problem, or it’s not severe enough to bother them. But for many others the difference in how they feel at the end of their work day, gaming session, or newest soap opera marathon can be huge! Use these tips to keep those baby blues, browns and greens in tip top shape, no matter what time of day.

OR skip all the hoopla, pitch all your devices, and move outside where there is only natural light and loveliness.......Oh wait, UV rays! >:P Keep wearing those sunshades folks, your macula will thank you later. That’s another day's rant. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration)