Too much screen time?
Almost all of us have some “screen” time every day – and the past 2 months it’s upped and for some of us it feels like “all day”. Getting through the COVID lockdown would have been so very different without the screen time and technology that let so many people continue with work, school, uni and keeping in touch with family and friends.
Since we’ve been back to Level 2 and re-opened to seeing people again, the high level of screen time has been a frequent cause of symptoms such as sore and tired eyes. When you think about our days of laptops and phones, these are closer to our eyes than the traditional desktop back in the office. Added in is that instead of walking to meet someone for a meeting, or to see your teacher, it’s all just a click away and then more screen time. And once work or school is over, there are movies, computer games and even dance lessons on the screen still.
So what is different for our eyes with all this screen time? In short, we just weren’t built to sit inside and stare at screens, we are meant to be outside hunting and gathering our food, and this means looking far away and being outside. Our eyes focus by adjusting the ciliary muscle to keep the lens focus set at a close distance for long periods of time. For many of us this is tiring, and even harder with even a low level of long sightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism, or we are approaching 40, when our focusing reserves naturally decrease. Added to this our eyes need to team together and align accurately for comfortable vision, so if your eye “posture” is naturally over or under converging, this is also tiring.
Then our blink rate slows when we look at screen, so the front surface of our eye is more likely to dry. A dry eye feeling includes not just sore, stinging, red or watery eyes but also we often hear “just tired eyes”. We are more likely to have a dry eye problem as we get older, for women (thanks hormones!) and if you take certain medications, including anti-histamines during allergy times.
On top of our visual system is the screen and ergonomics of our set up. Ideally our eyes should be looking slightly down (10-20 degrees), not straight ahead. Increasingly people are using multiple screens! When you pick up your phone, then naturally we hold this closer.
The screen itself emits blue light, which can affect our melatonin. Melatonin is key in our sleep wake cycle, and it’s hard enough to have that routine working well at the best of times!
So it’s hardly surprising that we start to have some problems, ranging from eye strain with tired sore eyes, headaches, neck or shoulder pain, dry gritty or even red eyes, blurred or double vision at close range or far vision to just general fatigue.
And all this screen time isn’t going away, in this next-normal of COVID-19 changes there will continue to be more screen time for most of us, and so what should we do?
Make sure you’ve had thorough assessment of your vision – this takes time and is part of a comprehensive eye examination. You may or may not need glasses for screen work.
The 20-20-20 rule after 20 minutes of screen time, look into the distance 20 feet away for 20 seconds. A bit American not being metric, but it is easy to remember.
Deliberate blinks – during a mini break, take 10 deliberate blinks.
Think posture – starting with feet flat on the floor, knees at right angles, and desk height so that your forearms make a right angle with your elbow.
Screen set so you have downward gaze of 10-20 degrees.
Reducing blue light by a combination of screen settings, and glasses with coatings that protect your eyes.
Get our kids outside – more time reading or on screens is associated with more myopia (short sightedness), while time outdoors is protective for younger eyes to slow myopia developing.
Writing this blog was also my screen time, and it was a good reminder to adjust my posture, and have regular breaks. Time for all of us to look after ourselves.