NEW YORK — Cathy Higgins experienced noticeable discomfort daily, especially around 3 p.m. after hours of working at her university job overseeing research projects. Her responsibilities demanded intense focus on various computer screens displaying contracts, budgets, and applications.

“My vision became so blurry that I couldn’t make out what was on the screen, and I ended up squinting to an extent that rendered me nearly incapable of functioning,” Higgins remarked.

To cope with her deteriorating eyesight, Higgins began to interact more with her staff and scheduled in-person meetings for the afternoons. However, after her children went to bed, she resumed her computer work late into the night.

“Pushing through the blurry vision often triggered migraines for me,” she added.

The widespread use of digital screens pervades our work environments and home lives, with an estimated 104 million Americans of working age spending over seven hours daily in front of screens, as reported by the American Optometric Association. However, extended screen exposure can have adverse effects.

Excessive screen time contributes to symptoms such as dry or watery eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. Furthermore, it can lead to myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, particularly in children. Some technology professionals even experience brief bouts of vertigo after prolonged screen exposure.

The discomfort arises from the strain on the eye’s focusing muscle, which tends to tighten when fixated on screens for an extended period.

“Imagine holding a light weight overhead for hours—it may start easy, but it becomes tiring,” explained Steven Reed, President of the American Optometric Association.

Fortunately, blue light emitted from screens has not been linked to any permanent eye-related damage, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Nevertheless, the symptoms can interfere with work, family interactions, and overall well-being. Reed, who practices optometry in Mississippi, treats numerous patients experiencing consistent headaches, eye aches, and blurred vision due to screen usage. He emphasizes the importance of regular eye exams and taking breaks.

For Higgins, the need to catch up on work during weekends diminished the quality of time spent with her daughters. “They would be playing, and I struggled to engage with them as much as I wanted,” she expressed.

Here are some recommendations from eye care professionals to help alleviate eye strain caused by prolonged device use:

**Follow the 20-20-20 rule**: Every 20 minutes, take a break from your screen and focus on something around 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This simple pause helps relax the muscles in the eyes.

“Luckily, eye strain is temporary,” stated Raj Maturi, an ophthalmologist from the Midwest Eye Institute. “Taking regular breaks from screens and using lubricating eye drops when necessary is the best way to prevent these symptoms.”

Typically, people blink around 18 to 22 times a minute, but this rate drops significantly—approximately to three to seven times—while looking at screens. This is where lubricating eye drops become important.

If outdoor time is scarce, frequent 20-second breaks can still be beneficial for eye health.

**Adjust your workspace**: Users often find relief in using larger monitors or increasing text size on their devices. After starting a new position as the senior vice president at Stand Up to Cancer, Higgins made these very adjustments. Working remotely from Midlothian, Virginia, she opted for a 29-inch monitor and positioned herself three feet away, a more comfortable distance than standard office setups.

These changes have made a positive difference. Although she still experiences occasional blurriness, it is no longer as frequent; “Extended workdays, like 12 hours, reignite the vision problems,” she noted.

Maintaining a comfortable distance from screens also helps, with experts recommending a setup that allows for an arm’s length distance while looking slightly down at the screen.

**Be cautious of product claims**: Various products, particularly blue light glasses, claim to reduce eye strain, enhance sleep quality, and prevent eye diseases. However, multiple studies suggest these glasses are not significantly beneficial; symptoms stem from user behavior with devices rather than the minor blue light emissions from screens.

**Extracurricular optic routines**: After their workday, many individuals shift to reading or scrolling through their smartphones. This trend encompasses not just adults but children too, who are exposed to laptops, tablets, and smart screens during school hours.

Excessive screen exposure can hasten the development of nearsightedness in children, cautioned Ayesha Malik, a pediatric optometrist. She recommends that children watch content on larger television screens to lessen eye strain.

Encouraging children to adhere to the 20-20-20-2 rule can be beneficial—not only should they take regular breaks, but they should also spend at least two hours outdoors daily to support healthy eye development. “Tracking screen time poses a challenge, especially with inevitable daily interactions with screens in both school and home settings. Aim to limit uninterrupted sessions to no more than 20 minutes,” Malik advised.

**Sleeping better**: The blue light emitted from screens can enhance alertness, making it challenging to achieve restful sleep when scrolling through social media or watching shows before bedtime. To promote relaxation, experts recommend putting devices away one to two hours before sleep and utilizing a “dark mode” setting in the evening. If accustomed to nighttime viewing, consider switching to listening to audiobooks or podcasts for a more restful alternative.

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