Modern-Day Awareness Includes Digital Eye Strain and Dry Eye
March in Southwest Florida is a beautiful time of year, but March is also Workplace Eye Safety Month. And at Collins Vision, we care about your eyes!
Different Workplaces Call for Different Safety Protocols
If your job is in a manufacturing or healthcare setting, you have to worry about things like debris, chemicals, bodily fluids and even flying objects such as metal, wood and glass. Safety glasses, goggles and face shields are the top safety tool to protect your eyes.
But when you work in front of a computer all day (like so many of us do!), it’s a different kind of eye damage you have to be on the lookout for: digital eye strain and related dry eye.
Protecting Your Eyes in the Digital Age
Keeping your eyes safe while at work includes at your desktop and on your smartphone and other devices. The Vision Council reports over 60% of Americans have symptoms of digital eye strain, which can include blurriness, redness, fatigue, dry eye, headache and neck and shoulder strain.
When patients come to us with any of the above symptoms, we like to share some steps anyone can take to reduce the risk of digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome (CVS).
• Position your screen approximately 30 inches away—about an arm’s distance—from eye level for proper viewing distance when at a computer.
• Follow the “20-20-20 rule”—take a 20-second break from the screen every 20 minutes and look at an object 20 feet away.
• Use proper lighting; one way is to reduce overhead lighting to eliminate screen glare.
• Adjust computer display settings: increase text size and contrast for your personal comfort, and adjust the brightness of the display, so it’s close to the same brightness of your surroundings.
• Blink often
• Take a few five-minute breaks throughout your workday.
• Talk to your Collins Vision doctor about computer glasses; these are lenses with anti-reflective (AR) coating which reduces glare.
One of the most important things you can do to combat digital eye strain is to have a routine comprehensive eye exam at Collins Vision. A comprehensive eye exam will also find any dry eye issues, which often go hand in hand with digital eye strain. At Collins Vision, our advanced dry eye clinic offers the latest treatments for chronic dry eye.
Step Into Visual Freedom
If you’re a glasses or contact lens wearer, you probably already know that prolonged wearing of either can aggravate digital eye strain, too. At Collins Vision, we love to talk to our patients about the opportunity to no longer wear either of them with LASIK and Refractive Cataract Surgery, depending on the vision issue you are facing. Dr. Michael J. Collins is the board-certified, fellowship-trained eye surgeon Southwest Florida has trusted since 2004. You can trust him, too!
At Collins Vision, we want you to See the Difference with the vision you deserve. Our experienced doctors and clinical team are here for you. Schedule a comprehensive eye exam today to make sure your eyes are safe at work…and play.
