Eyesight InfographicA new report by The Vision Council finds nearly 95 percent of Americans spend two or more hours every day on digital devices, permeating all aspects of our personal lives – from waking, to exercising to cooking. The report, released today at the International Consumer Electronics Show, found a lack of awareness about how this use affects our eyes and vision health.

“On average, we look at our mobile phones more than 100 times a day, yet people aren’t making the connection how this constant use of technology is impacting vision health,” said Dora Adamopoulos, OD, medical adviser to The Vision Council. “Digital eye strain is likely to continue to grow as a health concern. However, there are tools and products that can alleviate or even prevent the onset of symptoms as well as protect the eyes.”

Digital eye strain – experienced by a majority of American adults – is characterized as temporary physical discomfort felt after two or more hours in front of a digital screen and is associated with the close to mid-range distance of digital screens. It is marked by symptoms such as redness, irritation or dry eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, back and neck pain and headaches. Several environmental factors can contribute to fostering the condition, including the small size of the text on screens; time spent staring at devices; posture; computer setup; existing, untreated vision issues; and the blue light emitted from digital screens and lighting.

The report also highlights emerging research on blue light overexposure, also referred to as high-energy visible or HEV light. Blue light is emitted from backlit displays of our devices, LED and fluorescent light bulbs and even the sun, and is an increasing cause for concern among eye care providers who are worried about the potential long-term impact on vision health. Because blue light can reach deeper into the eye than ultraviolet light, specific wavelengths may damage the retina.

Although the issue is nascent, recent evidence points to a possible link between exposure to blue light and long-term vision issues such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Yet, most adults (72 percent) are not aware of the potential damage caused by blue light overexposure and don’t know that digital devices emit blue light.

The report, Hindsight is 20/20/20: Protect Your Eyes from Digital Devices, takes a generational look at digital device use and how each age group is impacted by the surge in overuse. Key findings include:

  •  One in four children (26 percent) uses digital devices for more than three hours a day. Additionally, more than 30 percent of parents who say they are very concerned about the impact of digital devices on their child’s eyes allowed more than three hours of screen time daily.
  • Nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) Millennials report symptoms of digital eye strain and most own smartphones (84 percent).
  • Gen Xers own more tablets or e-readers compared to other age groups (48 percent) and are more likely than the Millennials and Boomers to use digital devices for work and recreational reading.
  • One in four Boomers (26 percent) spend at least nine hours on digital devices each day and experience fewer symptoms of digital eye strain than Millennials and Gen Xers (57 percent vs. 67 and 63 percent respectively).

“Many people assume digital eye strain is an unavoidable part of living in a digital world, but there are simple ways to ease the strain on eyes,” said Mike Daley, CEO of The Vision Council. “The vision community as a whole has identified technology use as a challenge for eye comfort and health. As a result, over the past several years, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of innovation to help reduce the strain to eyes that many experience from digital devices.”

Lens technologies used in computer eyewear are specially designed for optimizing and protecting vision when viewing content on screens and can be provided with or without a prescription. This eyewear can utilize different tints, coatings and materials, including blue-light blocking abilities, which can be tailored to different lifestyle needs.

In addition to computer eyewear, below are some tips that can help relieve digital eye strain:

  1. Remember the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break from the screen and look at something 20 feet away.
  2. Build an optimal workspace to mitigate outside stressors—this includes ideal lighting, comfortable computer screen height and good posture.
  3. Increase the text size on your devices to better define the content on your screen.
  4. Visit an eye care provider to learn more about computer eyewear and lens options that can help reduce symptoms of digital eye strain and improve vision.

Annual eye exams are a part of healthy vision maintenance and should be considered for both adults and children. Preventative eye care can help preserve vision and identify health issues early on such as disease progression, ensuring lifelong vision health. If you have digital eye strain, your eye care provider can discuss eyewear options or lifestyle changes that can reduce symptoms it in the future.

To view or download a copy of Hindsight is 20/20/20: Protect Your Eyes from Digital Devices, visit The Vision Council online at www.thevisioncouncil.org.

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