The only thing that can cause interruption in your binge-watching is your eyes because they simply cannot take it anymore. The problem is not only limited to those seeking entertainment 24/7.

Digital products make an essential part of our daily lives. While they provide many benefits; they can also affect your health considerably. When a person stays in front of screen be it computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or any gaming device, there are chances that they are going to experience a digital eye strain or computer vision disorder, a condition characterized by eye discomfort. A report indicated that highest digital strain is experienced by people under the age of thirty, though older adults are also not immune to it. Another survey in 2015 revealed that 65 per cent of U.S. adults report experiencing digital eye strain. Further, the American Optometric Association (AOA) has found that some people who use computer monitors for 2 hours a day are at risk for symptoms of digital eye strain.

Effects on health

Digital eye strain can affect the health in number of ways:

Tiredness of eyes

Eyes work through number of muscles that are present around the lenses to help focus on the objects. Just as the overuse of any muscle of the body leads to fatigue, eyes also feel tired when use beyond the capacity.

Dryness

The continuous stare without blinking leads to the dryness of eyes as tears evaporate from the eyes before they are replenished causing serious discomfort in eyes.

Headache

Headache is the most common aftereffect whenever a person use digital screens without stopping. Sometimes, it also indicates the declining vision due to prolong use.

Sore neck and bad shoulders

Though indirectly but digital eye strain can cause muscle in the neck to go sore. Due to wrong position of neck, the phenomenon not only affect the neck but shoulders too. It destroys the balance of these parts of body resulting in weakness and pain.

Sleeplessness

Blue light emitting from the digital screens alter the circadian rhythm of a person leading to sleepless night. It can make your time further prolonged in front of screens depriving you of healthy sleep and healthy lifestyle.

Prevention

Screen time

The first and foremost activity that can save a person from a digital eye strain is limitation of screen time. There are plenty of options in the devices that allow you to set a limit on the screen time for you as well as children to give you an idea of the usage. This limitation can save your eyes from extra strain.

Light adjustments

Light adjustment is necessary to reduce eye strain as blue light is known to awake your brain and keep scrolling. Devices also introduced many features such as day and night mode to save the users from harmful effects of light.

Breaks

Popularly known as 20/20 rule, it compels users to take a 20 seconds break after every 20 minutes and look at the far object. There are many timeout apps that can help you remember this activity and ease the pain and strain.

Eye wear

Glasses are the perfect wear to avoid certain harmful rays emitting all the time from screens. People use vision glasses as well as blue light glasses to keep their eyes healthy.

Moisturizing the eyes

Sound like a girlish thing but it’s not. Depending on your activity and dryness of the eyes, doctors recommend artificial tears or moisturizers for the eyes to keep your eyes healthy. If you feel continuous discomfort, you need to see your doctor.

Body position

Apart from all the eye related measures, you need to keep your body straight while working, monitors should be an arm length away with the top of screen roughly at your eye level, try to be relaxed and avoid glaring at the screen.