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Digital eye strains (DES)

As the science and technology become more and more developed nowadays, people are unable to live without digital devices like smartphones, laptops etc. Even students are also using smartphone, tablets or laptops for online classes, especially during COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the exposure to digital devices. The usage of these digital devices has become a huge part of modern life.

But, do you know that, looking at these digital devices for many hours per day can actually cause a significant stress to your eyes and eventually develop into an eye disease. This is known as digital eye strains. This has increased the threat of digital eye strain (DES), making it an emerging public health problem.


Digital eye strains (DES) which also known as computer vision syndrome is defined by American Optometric Association, includes a range of visual and ocular symptoms occurred due to prolonged use of digital devices. Many studies suggest that the following factors are associated with DES, such as:

  • screen glare (reflection from the digital display),
  • poor lighting from the room or extensively exposure of lighting from the digital display,
  • viewing digital screen from a wrong angle or distance,
  • uncorrected vision problem (presbyopia, astigmatism, farsightedness),
  • smaller font size

Viewing a digital screen for a few hours or more a day, or being too close to the digital device screen or having eye problems but did not correct with glasses or contact lenses, all these can worsen DES or causing recurrent of DES.

The symptoms of DES include eye dryness, eye fatigue, eye discomfort, eye redness, eye itching, blurred vision and headaches etc. The severity of visual symptoms of DES is based on the level of visual abilities and the amount of time spent on looking on the digital screen. Certain visual symptoms are temporary and will go away after the person stop using the digital devices, but some individual may still experience visual symptoms like blurred vision even after stop using digital devices. Symptoms may get worse if no steps taken to resolve the problem.

Treatments maybe vary for DES, but the symptoms can be relieved through optimal eye care and making changes in how the digital screen is viewed. Treatments include:

  • After 2 hours of usage of digital devices, rest your eyes for at least 15 minutes
  • Every 20 minutes, look into the distance at least 20 feet away from the computer or digital device. Do this for at least 20 seconds.
  • Font size used in digital device should be enlarged.
  • Digital devices should be positioned in a way to avoid glare, particularly from lighting of the room or lighting from windows.
  • Digital devices should be viewed with the eyes looking downward. The digital screens are best to viewed at a 15 to 20 degrees below eye level and a distance of 20 to 28 inches from the screen (about an armlength)
  • Remember to blink your eyes more frequently in order to minimize the risk of developing dry eyes when using a digital device as blinking can keep moisture on the eye’s surfaces.

Besides the changes which were stated above, management of eye dryness can help to treat or prevent the recurrent of DES due to dry eyes. For example, the use of lubricating eye drops to relieve the symptom of dry eyes. Lubricating eye drops can help to relieve symptoms of dry eyes, watery eyes or tired eyes, but it cannot completely cure DES, so only use eye drops when the symptoms are persistent. Some studies suggested dietary supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and bilberry extract can help in relieving the symptoms of DES. These supplements have an important role in preserving the moisture levels in dry eyes conditions.

In conclusion, prevention is the most important step in management of DES. It involves the ensuring of an ergonomic work environment and practice as well as visual examination and eye care to treat visual disorders. Regular visual examinations can help to prevent or reduce the development of DES.

References

  1. Chaitra Jayadey, Puja Sarbajan, and Anand Vinekar (2020 Nov) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on digital eye strain in children. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 68(11): 2383-2384.
  2. Gammoh Y (February 26, 2021) Digital Eye Strain and Its Risk Factors Among a University Student Population in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus 13(2): e13575. doi:10.7759/cureus.13575
  3. Pratyusha Ganne, Shaista Najeeb, Ganne Chaitanya, Aditya Sharma, and Nagesha C Krishnappa (2021) Digital Eye Strain Epidemic amid COVID-19 Pamdemic- A cross-sectional Survey. OPHTHALMIC EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021, VOL. 28, NO. 4, 285–292 https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2020.1862243
  4. Association AO. Computer vision syndrome. Accessed October 14 2020; Available from: https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y
  5. Mark Rosenfield (Jan 2016) Computer vision syndrome (a.k.a. digital eye strain). Optometry in Practice 2016 Volume 17, Issue 1, 1–10
  6. Chantal Coles-Brennan, Anna Sulley and, Graeme Young. (2019) Management of digital eye strain. Clinical and Experimental Optometry 2019 ;102: 18-29