How much time each day you spend looking at a digital device? And do you really know what impact it’s having on your health? Research has shown that as many as 60% of U.S adults spend more than 5 hours each day looking at a digital device. That’s a lot of screen time over the course of a week – more than an entire day! And accumulatively, it equates to a whopping 76 days out of the year! You may not realize it at the time, but when you use a computer, tablet, or smartphone, or a combination of these, for prolonged periods of time, it could be having a very real effect on your physical health and wellbeing. Neck and back pain are common, as well as pain in the joints affecting the wrist, hands, and fingers. However, many people overlook the impact that their screen time has on their eyes – one of which is dryness.  
 

How does screen time cause dry eyes?

Contrary to what many people believe, the tear film isn’t just made from water. It is actually a blend of oil, mucus, and water, in pre-determined quantities, which ensures that the moisture on our eyes isn’t just wet, but also smooth and soothing. When we blink, it stimulates the release of this tear film which is then pushed across the surface of the eyes to keep them feeling smooth and comfortable.

 

One of the main reasons how screen time dries out our eyes is because when we use screens we blink much less often. On average, you probably blink every 10-15 seconds. You probably don’t even realize that you are doing it - it is that instinctive. However, when we are concentrating on reading something on a screen, we naturally blink much less. In fact, studies have found that digital screen use can decrease our blink rate by up to two thirds! This means that our bodies aren’t prompted to produce or disperse as much natural tear film, causing us to exhibit a range of symptoms that are found in patients with dry eye disease. These include:
 

-       Sensitivity to light
 

-       Stinging, burning or scratchiness of the eyes
 

-       Redness
 

-       Difficulty wearing and removing contact lenses
 

-       Finding it harder to see when you drive at night
 

-       Excessive watering of the eyes

 

While dry eye syndrome can be caused by a number of different things, including medications interfering with tear film production, it can also be triggered by a lack of blinking as a result of too much screen time. This is a condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome.
 

Screen time and Computer Vision Syndrome

Eye problems that are caused by prolonged use of digital screens are often referred by the name Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS. CVS actually encompasses a wide range of different problems and symptoms, and people may experience some or even all of them. CVS can also affect people of all ages, with teenagers and people who work at computer screens especially likely to experience the condition.

 

Common symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome include:

 

-       Eyestrain
 

-       Headaches/migraines
 

-       Blurred vision
 

-       Dry eye
 

-       Eye pain redness

 

If you experience any of these symptoms as a direct result of spending long periods of time in front of a screen, your eye doctor may diagnose you with CVS.
 

How can dry eyes cause by screen time/CVS be treated?

Fortunately, there is a range of different options that can be used to tackle CVS and its effects. These range from taking regular screen breaks to using eyedrops to wearing glasses. Most patients find that they need to use a combination of different approaches in order to achieve the greatest relief from their symptoms and see an improvement in their day to day lives. If you are concerned that you may have dry eyes/CVS you should arrange to speak to your eye doctor as soon as possible as they will be happy to discuss your treatment options with you and work with you to find the most effective solution.