Understanding Digital Eye Strain At Work: Prevention and Tips

Workers engaged in computers often experience episodes of headaches, watery eyes, red eyes, or blurred vision. Although some of it is unavoidable, frequent incidents should be a cause for worry. This is because it might also be indicative of an underlying set of symptoms related to Computer Vision Syndrome or Digital Eye Strain (DES).

Sedentary life is the curse of our age. Thanks to excessive visual activity, modern living is hallmarked by stress, chronic diseases, and eye strain at work. The data around DES is alarming, if not scary. A whopping 43 % of Americans working for longer hours say their eye health is worsening.

Excessive screen use has had a collateral impact on eye health, eating habits, and sleep patterns.COVID-19-induced home confinement and the resultant work-from-home lifestyle further pushed digital dependence and digital eye strain.

The American Optometric Association defines Digital Eye Strain (DES) as a condition that induces optic symptoms resulting from the prolonged usage of digital electronic devices. DES symptoms include dry eyes, itching, foreign body sensation, watering, blurred vision, and headaches.
Here is all you need to know about Digital Eye Strain causes, symptoms and the scientific way forward.

Understanding Digital Eye Strain (DES)

As per the American Academy of Ophthalmology, digital eye strain is common, and most people experience it. Dr. Emily Schehlein says, "Eye strain happens when we're on our screens and not blinking enough."

On average, people blink 15 times a minute, but while using devices, we tend only to blink 5 to 7 times a minute. The good news is that although eye strain is uncomfortable, doctors usually agree that it does not affect your eye health in the long run. But that's not to say eye strain isn't annoying or hard to work around.

In this blog, you will explore the primary symptoms of DES to look out for. You will also learn seven tips to opt for to keep it at bay.

3 Causes of DES at Work

Considering that an average American worker spends seven hours a day on the computer at work, DES is as severe as it gets.

In a recent survey,employees report getting as much as 96.1 hours of screen time each week. In other words, 208 days' worth of screen time each year or 57% of the year.

Note: Asthenopia is the formal term for eye strain.

As a complex phenomenon, DES at work has multifaceted factors that count as causes.

Below are the 3 Most Common Causes of Digital Eye Strain:

1. Office and Computer Ergonomics

The letters on the computer are often less precise, but at other times, they are sharply defined. The glare and reflections on the screen make viewing difficult, and the contrast of the letters to the background is also less.

Suboptimal office ergonomics such as improper lighting condition aggravates CVS. This could include the surrounding light (like window behind the monitor) or multiple reflection onto the screen.

2. Eyeglasses issues /problem

Ill-corrected vision issues can significantly contribute to computer-related eyestrain. This is because with an inappropriate pair of eyeglasses, you are left to focus even harder on the screen. In such a case, people often resort to adopting odd-angled head tilts.

Besides, if you lean towards the screen to enhance visibility, you are only stressing your eyes. Many of us ignore our eyeglass issues and skip eye check-ups, leaving room for aggravated digital eye strain.

3. Dehydration Induced

At other times, dehydration-induced dry eyes also intensify digital eye strain. This is because dehydration leaves our eyes with no moisture. However, dehydration-triggered DES can be fixed by consciously keeping yourself hydrated at work.

Hydration helps flush out salt in the body and keeps the urface of your eyes moist.

All the above contribute to aggravating the regular digital eye discomfort, leading to Digital Eye Strain over time.

Symptoms To Look Out For

1. A General Discomfort

A generic and easily detectable sign of DES must be discomfort around the eyes. This may be in the form of watering, redness, and itching, and patients may also complain of dryness in their eyes.

2. Blurry Vision

Besides general discomfort, a frequent complaint is blurry vision. You will most likely complain of episodes of blur as well as clear vision. The result is reduced concentration, which must improve after rest.

3. Excessive Sensitivity to Light

Employees who work on computer often face excessive sensitivity to light and glare. They also struggle with an inability to keep their eyes open. This sensitivity in turn might be associated with headaches and occasionally a sore neck or back.

Therefore, DES can lead to inconvenience in daily routine activities. Thus, we experience body discomforts, such as headaches, neck or shoulder pain, and back pain.

7 Tips to Reduce Eye Strain at Work

This blog presents a data-driven picture of Digital Eye Strain (DES) and its effects. Now, what is the way forward?

Dealing with DES involves two types of solutions: curative and preventative approaches.Preventive measures are meant to prevent DES, while the Curative approach treats and minimizes the impact of existing DES.

Data has shown that DES is here to stay. Therefore, the way forward is to opt for practical, protective, and preventive approaches.The goal is to ensure minimum disruption in the lives of individuals affected by DES.

1. Limit Screen Time and Take Breaks

Average daily screen time should be reduced to a reasonable limit. Conscious efforts to cut down screen time help. Apart from the working hours, ensure to limit screen time to an hour or so. it is important to quit screen time 3 hours before your sleep time.

Besides, take frequent breaks from your work desk, walk around and engage in meaningful chats with your colleagues. Make sure to refrain from looking at screens during this time.

2. Pay Due Attention to Screen Ergonomics

It is almost the tiny tweaks that can help you with your eye. Practices like proper ambient lighting, digital device positioning, and adjusting image parameters (resolution, text size, contrast, luminance) go a long way in dealing with DES.

To reduce eye strain, the room lighting may be adjusted, and the contrast of your computer screen may be increased. Matte screen filter can also be considered.

3. Adjusting Body Posture

Poor body posture not only looks bad but also harms your eyes. Likewise, sitting close to a digital screen can raise your chances of experiencing eye strain.

Doctors advise maintaining an upright posture while sitting at a desk or table with screens about 20 inches away from the eyes. Position your screen lower than your eye level. Ensure viewing distance of 15-20° below eye level.

4. Remember to Blink Often

What happens when you do not blink often? Reduced blinking when exposed to digital screens is linked with dry eyes. Surveys of American and European office workers found that one-third of them complained of dry eye symptoms.
Thus, try to consciously blink frequently.

5. Ensure an Eye Friendly Work Environment

Light intensity at your immediate work desk or room affects your eye's comfort. Thus, ensure that your office lighting is set up in a way that the light coming from monitors matches the light in the surrounding workspace.

Choose anti-glare screens to reduce the amount of light reflected from the screens. Consider installing a matte screen filter. In a nutshell, restrict your office environment from straining your eyes by ensuring the above.

6. Choose a Healthy Lifestyle

If prevention is better than cure, one of the best things anyone can do for their eyes is to live a healthy lifestyle. Ensure a healthy and balanced diet, maintain hydration safety, and follow sleep hygiene

"A diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains suits every part of your body. What's more, it also benefits your eyes,'' says Dr. Emily Schlehlein of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Nutrients rich in Vitamin C, E , zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids could also lower your risks of age-related eye conditions later in life. Add some simple and readily available herbs to your meals. These could include ginkgo biloba and turmeric, which suit your vision.

7. Invest In Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Although doctors are divided on the perks of blue light eyeglasses they have become hugely popular. The American Academy of Ophthalmology, for instance, does not say they're a cure, but specific evidence suggests they can be one.

You can use them as a preventive measure when mixed with certain healthy lifestyle choices.

Read also: https://www.vantagefit.io/blog/vision-wellness/

How Can Employers Encourage Good Eye Health at Work?

In addition to workplace vision testing, employers can always follow these strategies to use-

1.Encourage Regular Breaks

Foster a work culture that embraces the Tripple 20 rule. For every 20 minutes of digital device use, employees should observe a 20-second break to focus on objects 20 feet away.
Encourage breaks and some office stretches during this time. Ditch the screens with a walk and some chitchatting.

2. Invest in Office Ergonomics

The workplace should be ergonomically designed. Checkout the detailed checklist available from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

Besides, employers may always ensure appropriate protective eyewear and provide safety goggles to employees working in hazardous environments. Employees, too, are responsible for following safety procedures to protect themselves.

3. Set up Healthy Lifestyle Challenges

Invest in spreading awareness around eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated. Encourage eye exercises to reduce eye fatigue and strain at work. Some easy exercises could include:
Eye rotations in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction for about half a minute each.

Shutting your eyes tightly, then gently easing them out.
Also, remember to invest in employee wellness and health challenges. These, in turn, can promote, strengthen, and improve employee eye health and add to workplace productivity.

4. Conduct Workplace Vision Testing

Employees today are dominated by computers, screens, and machines for extended hours of screen time. Overall, a million tasks can take a toll on their vision. This is why workplace vision testing is integral to a holistic employee health checkup program.

Undertaking such checkups helps your employees identify potential eye problems. Eye examinations can help recognize visual impairments that pose a safety risk in the workplace.

Are There People at Greater Risk of DES?

Like any other health condition, some sections of the population stabnd at a greater risk of DES. This includes workers whose screen usage is more than 4 hours, people with vision issues and the female population.

1. Workers Who Engage in Digital Devices for More Than 4 Hours per day.

While many jobs require more than 4 hours of digital work, it is unsurprising that such workers are highly susceptible to Digital Eye Strain. Employees in the software sector, bankers or web content writers are some examples.

2. People With Underlying Refractive Errors.

Refractive errors are a vision problem that makes it hard to see clearly. Near-sightedness or myopia, hyper-myopia, or farsightedness are the most common ones. Often, DES complicates vision-related issues of people with these underlying conditions.

3. Female Workers

A study published in Biology of Sex Differences found that women are more likely to experience age-related macular degeneration. This is attributed to their longer life expectancy than men.

Problems Associated with Digital Eye Strain

Researchers today are exploring whether digital screen time can contribute to the onset of progression of myopia. DES symptoms also aggravate with prolonged use of screens. Poor sitting posture and inadequate lighting conditions are also factoring that count.

The continual shifting of the eyes to sustain focus results in ocular weariness and strain.The extended use of computers requires extensive concentration and tremendous attention resulting in metal fatigue.

Final Word

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The first wealth is health." When you lack good health, everything else in life suffers. It is a given that vision health is a massive aspect of our overall health. Naturally, eye problems constrain us from concentrating on work and study.

We fall behind work deadlines, and stress piles up. The good news, however, is that you can always take matters into your own hands. Begin maintaining your eye health at work with one step at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions.

1. Is Digital Eye Strain (DES) Irreversible?

No. DES symptoms go away after a good break from your device.

2. Why do I Get Digital Eye Strain So Easily?

If you work on your computer for more than two hours in a row daily or have prior dry eyes, chances are that you will easily get DES.

3. Why is My Eye Strain Not Going Away?

It could be a symptom of something more serious than eye fatigue.