Our Eyes
Our eyes receive constant use, and abuse. We use them to perceive and analyze what is around us. As we look at something new, our eyes have to continuously work to refresh the information sent to our brain in order to keep everything visible. We use our eyes for reading, writing, driving, working on the computer, and more.
With the increasing availability and use of digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, e-readers, and laptops, our eyes never get a chance to rest. Many of us spend around 8 hours a day, or more for people whose jobs rely on computer use, using digital devices. For many of us, that equates to more hours than we sleep. Millions of children and adolescents also spend hours a day playing computer or video game consoles, or using computers or laptops for schooling.
We are often told to be careful of developing repetitive motion injuries (also known as repetitive stress injuries) such as carpal tunnel. These injuries are caused by repetitive or sustained tasks and positions, which puts strain on muscles and tendons. Similarly, our eyes can also experience strain from excessive or intense use. This condition is known as eye strain, or asthenopia.
Eye strain is an extremely common condition where an individual may experience blurring or doubling of vision; burning, itching, dryness, or redness of eyes; light sensitivity; headaches; neck, back, and shoulder pain; and/or difficulty concentrating after performing prolonged or intense visual tasks, such as extended computer use, reading or writing without pause, driving long distances, and straining eyes in dim lighting.
Our eye muscles are most relaxed using distance vision, and when we intensely or continuously focus on a near task, muscles of the inner eye may tighten. This tightness can cause irritation, and can lead to fatigue. The muscles can then lose the ability to remain contracted, and can result in blurring of vision. When we are concentrating on a single subject, we also blink less. Blinking is essential in lubricating and removing debris from the eye surface. When we blink less, less moisture is distributed across the surface of the eye, and it begins to feel dry and irritated.
Underlying eye problems, stress or fatigue, exposure to dry moving air, poor posture, lighting, and setup of your workstation can also contribute to eye strain. Underlying eye problems can include refractive error (uncorrected vision), astigmatism, wearing multifocals, eye muscle imbalance, inadequate eye focusing or eye coordination abilities, and presbyopia. Not all eyeglasses or contact lens prescriptions are suitable for computer screen or other digital device, and individuals may tilt their heads or bend towards the screen to try to see clearly. This can lead to spasms or pain in the neck, shoulder or back. Poor posture, such as slouching, can also cause your eyes to strain since they are not in a proper viewing position.
Dry moving air
on eyes and face from a fan, heating, or air-condition system can irritate the eyes and dry them out. Smoke and dust can add further irritation. Lighting conditions that are either too dim or too bright can cause the eyes work extra hard to compensate. Light should be adjusted to maximize illumination, while reducing glare and reflections. Whether reading or working on the computer, you do not want the light shining directly into your eyes. When working on the computer, bright light and glare can make it difficult to see objects on the monitor. Setup of workstations can also play a role since reference material that is placed further away from tasks (particularly if you are working on a computer and are using print material for reference) can result in eyes needing to readjust more frequently, and can result in muscle pain as you constantly turn your head and neck.
Synonymous
with “eye strain” is “computer vision syndrome,” also known as “digital eye strain,” which is a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged use of digital technology such as computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, etc. This is one of the most common types of eye strain, and an estimated 50% to 90% of all computer users experience at least some symptoms. People who spent even two continuous hours or more every day are at a great risk for developing it.
Computers and other digital devices tend to strain eyes more than print material, and can cause additional symptoms, which include difficulty focusing when looking from paper to monitor, continued reduced visual abilities such as blurred distance vision, and after images when looking away from the screen. When using computers or other similar digital devices, people tend to blink less than when viewing print material. They also tend to view screens at improper distances or angles and use devices that have glare or reflection or have poor contrast between text and background. Digital device screens can have flicker and glare and tend to have lower levels of contrast between letters and background, which make the eyes work harder. Direct glare comes from light that shines directly into eyes, while indirect glare is caused by brightness and contrast of the digital screen. Electronic characters are made up of pixels that tend not to be as precise or sharply defined as in print material. The blurred edges makes it harder for the eyes to maintain focus.
Computer and digital device screens emit blue light, also known as HEV light. Blue light can penetrate the retina, where it can cause damage and lead to macular degeneration. Handheld digital devices, such as smartphones and certain game consoles, tend to be held closer to the eyes, and may also have smaller text. This forces the eyes to work harder than usual, and strain to focus on the tiny words. Eyes are forced to focus and refocus all the time when viewing digital screens due to the constantly changing images. The constant change of focus, whether it’s from the images on the screen itself or from trying to shift focus from monitor to print material or an area behind screen, can cause fatigue and blurry vision.
Eye strain is not usually a serious condition and the symptoms typically go away once you rest your eyes or take measures to reduce eye discomfort. However, symptoms can be unpleasant and aggravating, and, if nothing is done to address the cause of the problem, can lead to recurrence or worsening of symptoms, physical fatigue, reduced ability to concentrate, and decreased productivity.
Eye strain can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. There are no specific tests to prove that symptoms are due to eye strain, but the eye doctor may look into patient history, including general health problems, medication, and environmental factors; refraction or current eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions; and how eyes focus, move, and work together. Testing may be done with or without the use of eye drops. The eye doctor will be able to determine if there is an underlying health problem and whether the person needs new eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions for optimal vision for digital screen viewing. Specialized lens designs may help maximize visual abilities and comfort, and lens coatings and tints may help boost contrast and filter out glare. Anti-reflective lens can decrease reflection from overhead lighting, while blue light blocking lenses can selectively absorb harmful blue light. If an individual is found to have problems with eye focusing or eye coordination, they may need vision therapy. Vision therapy, also called visual training, is a structured program of visual activities to help train the eyes and brain to work together more effectively. These may include office-based and/or home training procedures.
The treatment for eye strain is varied, but symptoms can be minimized by making changes in environment and daily habits.
For more immediate or short term relief of dry, tired eyes, you can apply a washcloth soaked in warm water over your eyes while they are closed. You can also use lubricating drops (artificial tears). These drops may help keep eyes well-lubricated and may be helpful for those who are having trouble blinking due to dryness of eyes. If you choose to use eye drops, check the label to make sure that it contains all natural ingredients, and look for those that don’t contain preservatives. Some eye drops, such as those with redness remover, may worsen dry eye symptoms. If you experience a tension headache, you can try firmly massaging your temples with your fingers in a circular motion for a minute while closing your eyes to help alleviate symptoms. Muscle tension can also be eased with relaxation exercises, such as breathing exercises, meditation, etc.
When performing visual tasks, it is important to make a conscious effort to blink. It can be helpful to write a note on the computer as a reminder. Blinking is helpful is moistening eyes and relieving dry eye symptoms. If you begin to experience eye strain symptoms while working, you can also close your eyes for thirty seconds. For extended visual tasks, it is important to occasionally stand up and move about, stretch arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders, or take a short walk to help regain concentration. It is important to take frequent breaks. Every hour, take a minimum five minute break to help lessen the strain on your eyes. If that isn’t possible, you can aim for resting your eyes for 15 minutes after two hours of continuous use. Regular eye exercises, such as the “20-20-20” rule, can help your eyes refocus and reduce strain. The 20-20-20 rule involves taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Environmental factors that you can change in order to promote comfortable viewing and visual task work include lighting, workstation setup, and, in the case of digital devices, screen settings. For printed material, you want to adjust lighting to maximize illumination while minimizing direct glare. This means directing the light onto the page, task, or desk or using a shaded light to keep the light from shining directly into your eyes. If you are using a lamp, choose an adjustable one that casts an even light over the desk and material.
In the case of computers and other digital screen devices, you want to reduce ambient lighting. Bright light reflects off the screen and creates harsh glare. Avoid placing the monitor directly in front of a window or white wall, and instead position it so that it sits perpendicular to windows and other bright light sources. You may want to close blinds or shades. You can turn of the monitor and tilt/swivel it to help locate any sources of glare (keep adjusting it until no more glare is seen). There are anti-glare filters that you can use to help decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen, but any type of filter or cover can compromise the quality of the image. Before considering a filter, focus on adjusting lighting and placement of monitor.
Adjust digital device screens so that they meet your specific viewing needs, and match the colour and brightness of your surroundings. There are no specific settings to change it to; you want to change it until you find what it most comfortable for you. The screen should be approximately the same brightness or slightly brighter than the surrounding workstation. You want to increase the resolution of the screen for added clarity, and increase the contrast.
Your work space should be set up to promote proper ergonomics. This includes using an adjustable chair that conforms to the body and is positioned so that your feet are flat on floor and your hands, when placed on the keyboard, are level with or slightly below the level of your elbows (wrists should not rest on the keyboard when typing). The monitor should be positioned directly in front, 20-28 inches away from your eyes. The top of the screen should be at or just below eye level, or 4 or 5 inches above the centre of the screen. Printed material should be placed above the keyboard or level or slightly below the monitor to reduce the amount you need to move your head to look from documents to screen. To help keep documents at this position, you may want to use a stand or a clipboard that attaches alongside the monitor. If that isn’t possible, you can use a document holder placed next to the monitor instead.
Improving air quality can help reduce irritation and dry eye symptoms. You can adjust the thermostat to reduce blowing air; use an air cleaner to filter dust; use a humidifier to add moisture; and move your workplace chair to a different area. If you smoke, you may also want to consider quitting since smoke can dry out and irritate the eyes.
Sleep refreshes the eyes with essential nutrients, so it is important to get enough. To help promote better sleep, it is recommended to avoid the use of electronics an hour before you go to bed to give your eyes, and your body, time to relax. Like any part of your body, your eyes need nutrients in order to function properly. To promote proper function, it is important to eat a healthy, well-balanced meal. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, and eliminate or reduce the consumption of processed and refined foods, bad fats, and animal protein.
Eye strain has become more and more common, especially due to the increasing use of technology in schools, the workplace, and at home. It is not usually considered a serious condition, but it can make a significant difference in our work and our lives. The symptoms can range from mildly uncomfortable to painful and disruptive. They can affect our productivity and sense of well-being. That is why it is essential that we make the necessary changes in our environment and daily habits to promote a healthy work and lifestyle routine. Our eyes are working nonstop to help us process information, and now it is time we return the favour by giving them the rest and comfort they deserve.
