If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of digital eye strain, it is important to discuss them during your annual eye exam and to obtain solutions, in order to reduce and prevent any further discomfort.
Refractive Errors
The first step in avoiding eye strain is to ensure you are treating refractive errors. If your vision is blurred or distorted, you should schedule a comprehensive eye exam to see if glasses may be helpful. Uncorrected vision and focusing problems can cause your eyes to work harder than they need to, causing headaches and fatigue.
Body Positioning
Ensure you are using your devices in a comfortable, upright position. If you are working on a computer for a prolonged period, be sure you are sitting with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor.
Additionally, the natural position to use a computer is to gaze slightly downward with the screen about an arm’s length away from the eyes. Keep the area you are working in well-lit, and if possible, try to angle your screen to avoid any glare as much as possible.
20-20-20 & Blink Rule
One of the best things to remember is to give yourself and your eyes adequate breaks. Similar to getting up and stretching your legs after sitting down for a long time, give your eyes regular chances to refocus and readjust.
The 20-20-20 rule says for every 20 minutes of consecutive screen time, take 20 seconds to focus on something 20 feet away. This gives your eyes a much-needed break and can help reduce any associated eye strain from looking at screens for too long.
We also teach our patients to blink properly and fully during the 20-20-20 rule to prevent dry eye symptoms.
Glasses, Contact Lens, & Dry Eye Solutions
We help identify factors causing DES symptoms and offer effective solutions.
For glasses, we often discuss “anti-fatigue” lens designs to reduce focusing or eye fatigue. It can be a single-vision computer or workstation prescription, or it can be some form of additional magnification or progressive design. Each prescription is customized to each patient’s visual and occupational needs.
For lens treatments, we routinely discuss “light management” lens treatment options including anti-glare, medical-grade blue light protection, contrast or night driving enhancement, and UV protection.
For contact lens solutions, we firmly believe the 1-day disposable contact lens modality is the healthiest and the most convenient option for our patients. Vision Optique is a leading and well-respected contact lens practice in the USA!
For the past 2 decades, our patients take pride in being among the first in the country to experience any new technology and innovation in contact lenses. We have one of the most comprehensive diagnostic trial contact lens banks in the country.
The majority of our patients with high prescriptions, astigmatism, and presbyopia can be fitted on the same day of contact lens exam.
To help prevent dry eye symptoms from our digitally connected lifestyle, we screen every patient with a detailed lifestyle case history and a meibomian gland assessment during the annual eye exam.
Effective solutions and treatment are provided based on your symptoms and ocular health findings. Vision Optique is also a leading Dry Eye Center where many of the ocular surface disease diagnostic tools and treatment innovations are first introduced.
One of our founding doctors, Dr. Bridgitte Shen Lee, is an active educator in eye care. She lectures globally on the topics of dry eye disease, contact lens, digital eye health and ocular aesthetics.
