Today, most of us spend a large part of our waking hours staring at screens. Not surprisingly, it's not good for our eyes or our bodies, with all that sedentary sitting-down time. Yes, modern life, whether work or leisure time, can really take its toll on us and leave us sick, damaged and miserable.
But it turns out that we just can't take our eyes off all those digital screens — when we're not working for long hours in front of a computer, we're glued to the TV, all the while constantly checking our phones for the latest social media updates, news and information. Our lives now revolve around digital screens and there's a physical price to pay, starting with our sight.
But it's not all bad news. Once you identify that you may be at risk from all the hours of screen time you're immersed in every day, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. You will feel better, look better and you'll be able to see more clearly. Eye health is incredibly important, but it’s sadly overlooked by a lot of people — it involves a combination of health, nutrition, a good lifestyle and preventive care.
Feeling the Eye Strain
Can you overuse your eyes during daylight hours? It seems a silly question, but the answer is yes. If you're doing the same thing, in the same environment, for a long time, there's a good chance you're going to wear your eyes out and they will get tired. This is especially the case when you’re staring at something and not really focusing on distant or other scenes or objects.
So if you're driving a long distance and just gazing at the road ahead for hours, or you’re in front of a laptop or PC for ages, your eyes will grow weary from the intense use and this may cause problems. Computer use is the biggest culprit and it's now known that if you use your computer for at least two consecutive hours daily, you may well be at risk — the average American, for instance, spends around seven hours a day in front of a computer, including those who work from home. It's called computer vision syndrome.
Symptoms of digital eye strain include sore or itchy eyes, as well as dry or watery eyes. If you're affected, you may also experience blurry or even double vision and some people have ongoing headaches because of their screen time. Many people sitting in front of computers, looking at tablets and phones and watching TV also complain of a sore neck or sore shoulders and back, and digital eye strain may be the cause. Some people also have problems concentrating and others may feel as though they just cannot keep their eyes open — they've overstrained them and they just want a rest.
Making Us Feel Blue
Another hazard of using our beloved digital devices is the blue light they emit. Get too much of it and it could lead to macular degeneration — that's an irreversible loss of vision which can result in blindness. With so much time spent in front of blue light from our devices, it's time to take action. Getting a blue light filter is the best thing you can do to protect your precious sight.
You can get a blue light filter for your laptop, PC, iPad or other tablet computer and mobile phone. You can also wear special blue light glasses that filter out this unwanted spectrum of light. A good blue light filter will help to take the strain from your eyes as you work, watch TV or gaze at your mobile and there's the added benefit of it also improving your sleep. Blue light at night is not a good sight and can keep you up until the early hours.
With a blue light filter protecting your eyes, you can get back to focusing on your life.
