What Is Screen-Related Eyestrain?

Screen-related eyestrain is a condition that makes it uncomfortable to use digital devices. This disorder is known by several names, including computer vision syndrome, digital eyestrain and digital exhaustion. It affects people who use digital devices regularly, particularly those with poor eyesight. It's characterized by sore and dry eyes, difficulty focusing on the screen and headaches. While the symptoms of eye fatigue are uncomfortable, they don't damage your eyes.

Symptoms of Digital Eyestrain

Common symptoms of senior digital eyestrain include:

• Sore eyes. Your eyes feel dry and itchy, and there's often a sensation of something in the eye.
• Blurred vision. You may have difficulty focusing, and characters or images are blurred.
• Double vision. If your eyes are tired, you may experience double vision when looking at the screen.
• Headaches. You can develop a headache from the continual strain of focusing your eyes on the screen.
• Neck and back aches. Together with eyestrain, the muscles in your neck and back can seize up, causing uncomfortable neck and back pain.

These symptoms normally go away if you take a break from the screen and rest your eyes.

What Causes Digital Exhaustion?

Although digital exhaustion is linked to screen time, digital devices aren't the direct cause of eyestrain. Instead, the two primary factors causing digital eyestrain are how frequently you blink your eyes and the difficulties you experience focusing on text on the screen.

Not Blinking Often Enough

A normal person blinks around 20 times a minute, which means every 3 seconds. Blinking lubricates the eyes and helps them process visual information. Studies show that when reading a digital book or working on a computer screen, your blink rate reduces from 20 blinks per minute to an average of 11. The lower blink rate reduces natural lubrication in the eye and contributes to dry and itchy eyes. Many seniors naturally experience dry eyes.

Difficulty Focusing

As you read or watch videos, your eyes constantly refocus. This action contributes to eyestrain. This is made worse with handheld devices, as the distance to the eye changes as you move your hands. Poor screen contrast is another factor that worsens eyestrain. Depending on the app and settings on the device, the contrast between the text and screen background color may not be ideal, causing you to strain to read the text.

How to Combat Screen-Related Eye Fatigue

There are several things seniors can do to reduce screen-related eyestrain. These include:

• Resting your eyes. Consciously look away from the screen as often as possible and focus your eyes on something else.
• Blinking consciously. Remember to blink your eyes often.
• Lubricating your eyes. Seniors often have dry eyes, so consider using eye drops from your pharmacy or optician to relieve dry eyes.
• Adjusting the screen brightness. Adjust your device's screen to reduce glare, or consider using the blue light filter.
• Taking a break. If your eyes are sore, take a break from your device and do another activity, such as going to the library, socializing or reading a print book.

When to See an Eye Doctor About Eyestrain

As you get older, your eyes may change fairly quickly, especially if you have a medical condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. If your eyestrain doesn't go away, speak to the nursing staff here at Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care in Phoenix, Arizona, or visit your local eye doctor. They can check your eyes for age-related medical conditions and make certain you have the right reading glass prescription.

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