Did you know digital devices emit blue light and blue light exposure may contribute to digital eye strain? Here are a few tips to help keep your eyes healthy:
Ask The Expert. At your next annual eye exam, talk to your doctor about your lifestyle and ask about the best options for combating digital eye strain.
Unplug Before Bed. Power down your devices before heading to bed.
Give Your Eyes A Break. Whenever you find yourself spending time looking at a digital device, be sure to take frequent breaks. Get up, stretch, and give your eyes a rest.
Make an appointment today if you’re concerned about blue light exposure and digital eye strain.
Here are some healthy vision tips from Dr. Dan an Dr. Tracie
We feel that patients should schedule yearly comprehensive eye exams Seeing an eye doctor regularly will help keep you and your eyes healthy for a lifetime.
Protect your eyes against ultra violet (UV) rays. Living in Hawaii, ts important to wear sunglasses.
Give your eyes a break from digital devices use. Practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away. Limit your screen time.
Practice good nutrition. Eat your greens. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables – particularly the leafy green variety. Leafy greens keep your retina helthy.
Practice safe wear and care of your contact lenses. Keep them clean and don’t over wear them too long. Don’t forget to dispose of your contact lens on a regular basis.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
Blink often: Decrease the chances of dry eyes when using a computer by making an effort to blink frequently.
Keep a distance: We recommend sitting at a comfortable distance from the computer monitor where you can easily read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back supported by your chair. Generally, the optimal viewing distance is between 20 and 28 inches from the eye to the front surface of the screen.
View from a different angle: We feel the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees, or about 4 to 5 inches, below eye level as measured from the center of the screen.
Decrease glare: While there is no way to completely minimize glare from light sources, consider using a glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends following the 20-20-20 rule to ward off digital eye strain – take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
Although ongoing technology use doesn’t permanently damage vision, regular, lengthy use of technology may lead to a temporary condition called digital eye strain. Symptoms can include burning or tired eyes, headaches, fatigue, loss of focus, blurred vision, double vision or head and neck pain. Overexposure to high-energy, short-wavelength blue and violet light emitted from electronic devices may also contribute to digital eye strain. Our eye doctors can suggest lens options such as non-glare, filtering lenses to help protect vision from harmful blue light.
If you spend a lot of time at the computer or on your phone, you may forget to blink — and that can tire out your eyes. Try using the 20–20–20 rule throughout the day: every 20 minutes, look away from the screen and focus about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.
The average U.S. worker spends seven hours a day on the computer either in the office or working from home and the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) 2015 American Eye-Q® survey reports that 58 percent of adults have experienced digital eye strain or vision problems as a direct result.
Symptoms of digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, include eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes and neck and shoulder pain. The AOA recognizes the need to address this issue, and as Save Your Vision Month 2016 kicks off in March, they encourage both employees and employers to make eye health a priority. The five tips below can be easily implemented in most office spaces:
Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
Keep a distance: The AOA recommends sitting a comfortable distance from the computer monitor where you can easily read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back supported by your chair. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20 and 28 inches from the eye to the front surface of the screen.
View from a different angle: Ideally, the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees, or about 4 to 5 inches, below eye level as measured from the center of the screen.
Decrease glare: While there is no way to completely minimize glare from light sources, consider using a glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.
Blink often: Minimize your chances of developing dry eyes when using a computer by making an effort to blink frequently.
“As more people spend their days at work on a computer and their free time on handheld devices, doctors of optometry are seeing more patients who are experiencing digital eye strain,” said Steven A. Loomis, O.D., president of the AOA. “The problem can be relieved by taking simple steps. Just looking away from the computer for brief periods of time throughout the day can help with discomfort and long term eye problems.”
Dr. Tracie Inouchi Shares Five Simple Steps to Relieve Digital Eye Strain at Work
The average U.S. worker spends seven hours a day on the computer either in the office or working from home and the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) 2015 American Eye-Q® survey reports that 58 percent of adults have experienced digital eye strain or vision problems as a direct result.
Symptoms of digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, include eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes and neck and shoulder pain. The AOA recognizes the need to address this issue, and as Save Your Vision Month 2016 kicks off in March, they encourage both employees and employers to make eye health a priority. The five tips below can be easily implemented in most office spaces:
Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
Keep a distance: The AOA recommends sitting a comfortable distance from the computer monitor where you can easily read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back supported by your chair. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20 and 28 inches from the eye to the front surface of the screen.
View from a different angle: Ideally, the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees, or about 4 to 5 inches, below eye level as measured from the center of the screen.
Decrease glare: While there is no way to completely minimize glare from light sources, consider using a glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.
Blink often: Minimize your chances of developing dry eyes when using a computer by making an effort to blink frequently.
“As more people spend their days at work on a computer and their free time on handheld devices, doctors of optometry are seeing more patients who are experiencing digital eye strain,” said Steven A. Loomis, O.D., president of the AOA. “The problem can be relieved by taking simple steps. Just looking away from the computer for brief periods of time throughout the day can help with discomfort and long term eye problems.”
Additional findings on technology and eye health from the AOA Eye-Q Survey:
59 percent of those surveyed responded that desktop computers and laptops were the devise that bothered them most. Mobile phones were second at 26 percent, followed by tablets at 8 percent.
61 percent of people surveyed admit to using multiple digital devices at the same time.
56 percent responded that their primary use for digital devices is entertainment (reading, watching movies or shows, video games).
76 percent of people know that blue light from digital devices affects vision.
If you think you are experiencing digital eye strain, schedule an appointment with Dr. Tracie Inouchi at (808) 949-2662
Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.