Why Are Your Eyes So Tired in Front of a Screen?
Around three in the afternoon, looking at your monitor, you notice your eyes feel dry.
Your vision is slightly blurred, your eyes feel heavy, and they may water or sting. If you wear lenses, you begin to wonder whether the lenses are to blame.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology calls this problem digital eye strain. A large part of why eyes struggle in front of a screen lies not in the lens but in what we do when we look at a screen.
Blinking drops sharply
According to material from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, people blink only about 5 to 7 times a minute while using a computer, far fewer than the normal figure of about 15.
Blinking is how moisture gets onto the surface of the eye. So when blinking drops, the eyes can become dry, sore and uncomfortable. The material describes blurred vision, aching, and eyes that feel dry, water or sting as signs of digital eye strain.
Why blinking becomes incomplete, and what happens on the lens surface, is covered in Why Do Contact Lenses Start Feeling Dry in the Afternoon?. This article focuses on what you can change beside the screen.
What you can change beside the screen
These are the methods the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends.
- Distance and position: sit about 25 inches (about 63 cm) from the screen, and place it so your gaze is slightly downward.
- Brightness: match the screen brightness to the light around you, and raise the contrast.
- Reflections: if light reflects off the screen, a matte screen filter can reduce it.
- Eye breaks: make a habit of looking away from the screen and at something in the distance for a moment.
This material does not give a specific rule such as "so many seconds every so many minutes". So this article does not make up a schedule either, and simply recommends the habit of looking away from the screen.
A close screen makes focusing hard too
The same material explains that with virtual reality or 3D devices, where the screen is close but the eyes try to focus as if objects were approaching, the back-and-forth focusing effort strains the eyes. That means eye fatigue does not come from dryness alone.
What should lens wearers do?
The American Academy of Ophthalmology says that contact lens wearers who use screens for long periods may find dryness an ongoing problem, and suggests alternating with glasses and taking good care of the lenses.
When your eyes are uncomfortable in front of a screen, taking the lenses out and switching to glasses is one option, rather than putting up with it while wearing them. When and how to switch is covered in A Day Spent Switching Between Contact Lenses and Glasses.
When to see a professional
If your eyes keep hurting, turn red or stay blurred even after these adjustments beside the screen, it may not be simple tiredness. Take the lenses out and have your eyes checked.
Three things you can change today
- Match the screen brightness to the brightness of the room.
- Place the screen slightly below eye level and sit a little further away.
- Every so often look away from the screen at something in the distance.
Changing the setting around the screen a little may be enough to leave your eyes less tired.
References
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, Digital Eye Strain
This article is general information. If eye strain continues, or you have redness, pain or a change in vision, see a professional.