Staring at Screens Can Cause Eye Strain. Here's Tips to Prevent That

Millions of people spend hours looking at screens every day, straining their eyes.

An ophthalmologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston offers some tips for easing both eye strain and headaches.

Dry eye can also cause eye strain, as you subconsciously blink less when reading, watching TV or working on the computer.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule when working in front of a screen, Ahmed suggested.

Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to focus on something 20 feet away to give your eyes a rest. And use artificial tears if you have dry eyes.

Prolonged eyestrain can give you a headache. If you wear corrective lenses, make sure you have the proper prescription.

If you have an astigmatism, you won’t see as sharply. This might require more focus and energy, leading to eye strain.

Glasses that sit too tight on your temples can also give you a headache.

Make sure your glasses always fit well. Stronger prescription glasses are thicker on the edge. This can cause distortion for the vision on the edge of the glasses.

Lighting can also make a big difference. The room and computer screen light should be similar if you’re working in front of a monitor, he said. It can be helpful to have a backlight behind your computer screen to provide a softer glow.

Your eyes can be strained by sitting in a dark room with a bright screen.

Source: Baylor College of Medicine, news release, Oct. 25, 2023

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