5 minute read
Combating Digital Eye Strain
by Bonnie Brooks, MD
Digital Eye Strain (DES) is a problem for you. I can almost guarantee it. If not for you personally, you know someone who regularly gazes wearily at a screen, rubs their eyes then the back of their neck. Very few of us have lifestyles that do not involve staring at some sort of artificial light source for several hours each day. Whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, computer, or TV, we have moved beyond the pen and page.
Digital technology enhances our efficiency and enjoyment and connects us to the world in ways we could never have imagined decades ago, but it comes with risks as well. Health risks we are just now recognizing. Scientists and doctors have discovered that our modern digital screens emit wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum that can disrupt our natural sleep patterns, dry and irritate our eyes, and potentially cause irreparable harm to the back lining of our eyes called the retina. Let’s take a short journey back to high school physics to learn how this happens.
Light exists in nature as a wave and is characterized by its wavelength. We are familiar with ultraviolet (UV) light, as it is feared and avoided at the urging of our dermatologists. Next is the visible spectrum of light, once thought
to be harmless, but now under suspicion. Visible light is what makes our world so infinitely beautiful and gratifying, forming rainbows when scattered after the rain into its respective wavelengths by water particles still suspended in the atmosphere. Finally, infrared (IR) light is the longest wavelength of light. My husband appreciates this wavelength’s warming effects on filet mignon.
The specific wavelengths of light between 380-500 nanometers on the visible spectrum are seen as blue-violet and blue-turquoise light, also called High Energy Visible (HEV) light (see color chart above). Artificial light sources such as smartphones, tablets, TVs and computer screens emit significant amounts of HEV light. While it’s less blue light than the sun emits, we spend hours a day staring at sources of high-energy blue light, so the exposure time is much greater. Human corneas and lenses are excellent filters of UV light, but ALL visible light reaches the retina. Because higher wavelength (blue) light scatters more than lower energy wavelengths (red, yellow, green, etc.) more eye strain and potential structural damage may result.
The structural damage found in the retina theorized to be partially facilitated by HEV is termed macular degeneration, a disease that causes central blindness in nearly 2 million Americans. The greatest risk for macular degeneration is advanced age, but the cumulative effects of HEV over a lifetime is a still an unknown. We’re not certain what this might this mean for our children and young people. Could we be inducing a population of visually handicapped individuals minute by minute, emoji after emoji, meme by meme? Because that risk exists, the ophthalmology and optometry community firmly believe that we need a strategy not only for comfort, but also for long term protection from DES.
Blurred or fluctuating vision, headaches, and sensitivity to light are all indicators of Digital Eye Strain. Other symptoms include tired, burning, or itching eyes, tearing or dry eyes, and a feeling that your eyes need to close. If you are experiencing any of these issues, you may be suffering from DES and should learn more about the three main ways (continues)
to treat it and to protect your eyes from high-energy blue light.
Specialized lenses are one way to help alleviate the problem. Glasses with lenses that block blue light of 450nm and less, even as little as 15-20% of those wavelengths, can significantly increase contrast sensitivity and reduce Digital Eye Strain. Therefore, students, executives, secretaries, doctors, realtors, just about any professional looking at a screen more than two hours a day can benefit from blue light blocking lenses. These lenses used to be yellow tinted, a rather large turnoff for most buyers. However, Essilor, a major world leader in eyewear design, has released new clear lens technology. The technology, termed Eyezen is the only clear blue light filtering lens available on the market. These lenses are available now at any of Seaside’s offices and can be ordered with or without prescription power. Just ask your optometrist or optician for more information.
Schedule an eye exam and ask your doctor about ocular surface optimization. Behavioral studies prove that blink rates are reduced when one is reading or concentrating on a task such as gaming or typing. The reduced blink leads to evaporative dry eye which results in inflammation and pain. Testing the tear film osmolarity, stability and the presence or absence of inflammatory markers can be done during an eye exam. Your doctor can then recommend the appropriate drops, supplements, or methods for optimizing your ocular surface to increase your tolerance for screen time.
Follow the 20/20/20 Rule. Essentially, take a break from staring at the screen every 20 minutes and spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away. I know, you’d have to set a timer to do this, but it does work. The eye muscles used when gazing at a screen can become practically “stuck” in a contracted state, leading to several of the symptoms of DES.
Without a doctor’s exam, you may unknowingly pursue treatments that have limited efficacy. Modern technologies and point of care tests performed by the staff and doctors at Seaside Ophthalmology allow you to learn exactly what measures need to be taken to improve or eliminate your symptoms. Don’t put up with eye irritation and fatigue any longer. Be proactive to protect our youth from HEV exposure. Visit us at Seaside Ophthalmology, here in our new office located at 26 Market Street in The Shops on Market Street on St. Simons Island. We also have a location in Brunswick at 3303 Glynn Avenue. For both locations you can call 912.466.9922 to schedule an appointment. We can help you stay comfortably and stylishly on the grid. For more information about our doctors and services, visit seasideeyes.com.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND BRUNSWICK
