Everything You Need To Know About Digital Eye Strain and How to Avoid This Condition

If wholesale sunglasses protect my eyes from UV rays, what could be my protection against eye strain?

Have you ever asked this question? We at GotShades did and we’re more than happy to help you through this. The Vision Council published an informative guide on digital eye strain entitled Screens, Phones, Tablets and More: Keeping Your Eyes Safe In A Digital Age which you can read here. This brief booklet is packed with information about the said eye condition that’s hitting both kids and adults all over the world. Though it is a temporary medical condition, the occurrence as well as the effects of digital eye strain is becoming more alarming.

Today, we’re giving you a low-down on digital eye strain by presenting a condensed version of The Vision Council’s guide by answering your most basic questions. We’ve also put together 10 effective ways on how to avoid eye strain from the use of electronic gadgets. Remember that sunglasses are not enough to ensure your eye health; such tools will become more effective when you actively take care of your eyes.

What is Digital Media?

Digital media are electronically generated content that can be consumed through the television, internet and other internet-based networks. Common types of content include one or a combination of text, audio, video and graphics. Most digital media translates analog data into digital data.

Today, popular devices for digital media consumption include: high-definition televisions, desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, e-readers as well as tablets and gaming systems.

What is Digital Eye Strain?

This medical condition is a temporary discomfort which resulted from using digital media devices for extended periods of hours. The Vision Council conducted a survey this 2012 and results showed that about 70 percent of adults in the U.S. experience discomforts that are related to digital eye strain. Common symptoms of this condition include dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches, irritation, eye fatigue as well as neck and back pain.

How does digital media consumption cause digital eye strain?

Eye care experts have pointed out two reasons for the occurrence of this medical condition. First, the physical properties of the technology are demanding on the eyes which mean that font styles, lighting and pixilation on digital devices can affect the eyes. And the second factor is said to be that individuals use or consume digital media in ways that increase discomfort or strain on the eye. This is commonly observed in placement of desktop or laptop computers on the table.

Digital Eye Strain by the Numbers: 2012 VisionWatch Findings

The Vision Council survey nearly 10,000 adults across the United States in order to understand the consequences of this new-age medical condition by observing their digital media use and vision stress symptoms. Here are some of the results:

• -- 83% of respondents said that the television is their regular digital media device
• -- 33% of the respondents are on their digital media devices between 4 to 6 hours a day
• -- 45% use digital devices for recreation
• -- 34% cite neck and shoulder pains as the most common symptom they experience after being on their digital media device for an extend period of time
• -- To provide physical relief from the symptoms, 58% of the respondents change their sitting position

To combat digital eye strain, here are 10 tried and tested tips that could help you prevent this medical condition:

1. 1. Adjust the brightness of your device to reduce glare
2. 2. Clean your screen regularly for glare reduction
3. 3. To reduce the glare and strain caused by a competing light source, dim down the lights on your surroundings
4. 4. Make sure that your device is positioned properly at a distance
5. 5. Increase the text size on your devices to avoid squinting and eye strain
6. 6. Turn blinking into a habit
7. 7. Follow the 20-20-20 break where in you look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 2o minutes
8. 8. Consult your eye care provider to know more about your needs. Once you have the right information, it would be easy to address the situation accordingly
9. 9. Use prescription eye glasses since age-related vision loss can strain your eyes
10. 10. Get an eyewear to be used specifically for digital devices

Please take time to read and share the valuable study conducted by The Vision Council. Download Screens, Phones, Tablets and More: KeepingYour Eyes Safe in A Digital Age for more information.  

An Important Reminder From GotShades: Whether you’re using wholesale fashion sunglasses or formulated eye drops to keep your eyes healthy, the important thing is that you take measures to ensure your health.