Screen devices are an integral part of most kids’ daily lives. Games are easy to access from their smartphone. They have friends sending messages throughout the day. Notifications from social media draw their attention. And online learning adds extra hours to the approximately 4 to 9 hours kids spent a day before the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] To help achieve screen sanity at your home, enjoy Dr. Bennett’s weekly coaching videos on the GetKidsInternetSafe App. While attending to sensible rules and tools for screen safety, parents cannot overlook the health cost of excessive screen use to our eyes. Visual hygiene may be defined as mindful actions taken to reduce potential harm to our visual system and to keep it working at its best.[2]
What is digital eye strain?
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or Digital Eye Strain is defined by the American Optometric Association as issues related to the eye or the visual perception as a result of extended screen use. Research in this area indicates that at least 50% of computer users have experienced these symptoms which include dry eyes, blurry vision, strained eyes, and headaches.[3]
While CVS is believed to be temporary, it’s still important to err on the side of caution. Research that attempts to declare causation is a tricky area for scientists, especially when considering the many factors which may come into play such as the subject’s socioeconomic status, genetics, and third contributary variables.
What can cause digital eye strain?
Screen use over an extended period is the primary cause of digital eye strain. Here are some additional considerations:
Blinking Less
When we look at our screens, we are believed to blink around 66% less than we normally do.[4] As a result, we may feel a drying or burning sensation after an extended period of screen use.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is a type of science that studies how to maximize healthy body positioning and movement efficiency. Healthy ergonomics can be broadly applied and specified to functions such as our vision. Some visual ergonomic factors include screen distance, brightness, and posture.
Poor ergonomics may result in digital eye strain if the screen is too bright compared to the surrounding area. And if the screen is too close, our eyes may begin to cross (a normal visual function known as convergence).
Habits to Improve Visual Hygiene
Just as we maintain oral hygiene through brushing at least twice a day, keeping good visual hygiene can avoid strain or injury. Here are a few tips on preventing digital eye strain and improving your visual hygiene:
20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 Rule states that for every 20 minutes of screen use, we should spend at least 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away. Changing focus prevents visual fatigue. This is a simple and quick task, and you can even make it more fun by playing I-Spy outside the house with your kid!
Night Mode/Red Light Mode
Night mode or Red-light mode is one of the newer options to control the type of light emitted from our screen devices. Blue light is a high-energy type of light that is most commonly emitted from screen devices. Optometrists believe that this type of light is a primary cause of eye strain.[5]
Lens manufacturers have created a protective lens to help. However, research on the benefits of blue light blocking lenses is mixed. Instead of investing in blue light blocking lenses, we can simply switch the high-energy blue light on our screen devices to a lower energy, warmer tone through the brightness or display settings on our screen devices.
Blue light also negatively impacts the production of our body’s sleep regulating hormone, melatonin. Check out our article Why Good Sleep is Critical for Child and Teen Health to explore the factors which impact our sleep, including the emission of blue light.
Maintaining Proper Distance
The American Optometric Association states that we should keep our computer screen 20-28 inches away from our eyes (or about 3/4 of an arm’s length). Additionally, the screen should be around 15-20 degrees below our eyes for an optimized screen experience.[5]
Maintaining Proper Lighting
Be particularly cognizant of how bright your screen is during the daytime versus during the nighttime. Improper lighting will lead to eye strain due to the eyes trying to accommodate the contrasting brightness. Another tip to keep in mind is to keep your screen clean so you can avoid glare from other light sources.[4]
Break Often
While the 20-20-20 rule is a great habit to keep in mind, frequent short breaks are also great to give your eyes a break.
The Pomodoro Technique is a technique for efficient studying which states that for every 25 minutes of work, you take a 5-minute break. Breaks allow you to take a stretch and admire the view outside! If you do decide to take a longer break, try relaxing outside, playing a sport, or walking around the block. The main idea here is to get away from up-close, artificial light sources and to have your eyes adjust to things further away out in the natural world.
Thanks to CSUCI intern, Avery Flower for researching Computer Vision Syndrome and Visual Hygiene, and for co-authoring this article.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
