Digital Eye Strain
in North York

What Is Digital Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain can happen when your eyes work overtime while viewing screens. This happens both because the screens are lower in contrast than printed materials and because the blue light they emit is harder for the eyes to focus. Additionally, if your current prescription isn’t suited to the computer work you do, you might feel the strain in your neck, shoulders, and back as you try to accommodate with an adjusted posture.

Between 50% and 90% of adults experience some symptoms from their use of digital devices—and children aren’t immune from similar effects. The Canadian Association of Optometrists states that children’s increased screen time also comes with a rise in obesity rates, poor sleep quality, and potential delays in learning. The CAO recommends that digital device use in children be very limited to prevent these negative outcomes.

Combating Digital Eye Strain

Once we determine what’s contributing to your symptoms, we can help you make a plan to relieve your digital eye strain discomfort. This might include an updated prescription to your glasses or contacts, a new pair of reading glasses for close-up work, and simple changes to your workspace.

You may be able to make your workspace more comfortable by trying the following adjustments:

• Position your screen away from bright lights to avoid glare or add an anti-glare screen cover
• Increase your text size to reduce straining
• Take frequent screen breaks
• Try blue-light-blocking glasses

Discuss Your Digital Eye Strain

If you’re worried about how your digital device use impacts your eyes, book an appointment with Sheppard Leslie Optometry today and talk it over with your optometrist.