Digital eye strain a problem for 70% of U.S. adults

With the increased use of digital devices such as smartphones and tablets among adults, eye care professionals are also seeing a rise in digital eye strain. A study conducted by The Vision Council revealed that more than one-third of adults in the U.S. spend four to six hours a day on electronic devices and fourteen percent of adults report spending ten to 12 hours a day on such devices. Symptoms of digital eye strain include eye redness or irritation, dry eyes, eye fatigue and blurry vision. Additional physical symptoms can also include headache, back, neck and shoulder pain. People with existing eye problems like astigmatism and presbyopia might note additional discomfort because their corrective eyewear is not designed for mid-distance range. There are some steps that can be taken to help alleviate digital eye strain. A separate pair of eyeglasses for digital device use and are available in both prescription and non-prescription strength. Taking a 20 second break every 20 minutes and looking at an object 20 feet away and just remembering to blink can help reduce eye strain.*