Save Your Eyes From Digital Eye Strain in Airdrie

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Protect & Comfort Your Eyes

Digital screens are very much a part of our everyday lives. For most of us, they are the first things we see in the morning and the last things we see at night. Some of us even spend the majority of our workdays in front of a screen.

So what do we do with the knowledge that screen time could potentially be the cause of physical pain and discomfort? Digital displays aren’t going anywhere, so we have to learn how to mitigate their negative effects. To do that, a great first step is to book an appointment to see your optometrist.

What is Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain describes the fatigue the human eye experiences from spending hours on end in front of a digital display. Your eyes use muscles to function, and just like any other muscles, they grow tired of doing any one thing for a long stretch of time.

Think of it this way: imagine holding a small cup of water away from your body with your arm straight in front of you. At first, this position would not be particularly uncomfortable. But as time went on, your shoulder and arm would start to ache, and in less than an hour, you would be in significant pain.

That is essentially what happens with digital eye strain; your eyes use their muscles to focus on a single point for hours at a time, and they simply start to grow tired. You can detect this if you start experiencing:

  • Dry eyes
  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Heavy eyelids or difficulty keeping eyes open
  • Excessive tears
  • Blurry vision
  • Double vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Burning, itching, or irritated eyes
  • Headaches

What Causes Digital Eye Strain

According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, people normally blink at a rate of 12 times per minute. Once they’re in front of a screen, however, that number dwindles to 5 times a minute. This can result in dry eye, which exacerbates symptoms.

Digital displays emit a specific frequency of light called blue light. This particular frequency tends to scatter, making it very difficult for the eye to focus and interpret. As a result, the eye works even harder to make sense of what it is seeing.

Strategies to Prevent Digital Eye Strain

Glasses can help alleviate eye strain by making the display easier to focus on. You can also ask for lenses with special blue light filters. These filters reduce the percentage of blue light reaching your eyes, allowing them to relax a little more while you work.

The way your workspace is set up can help mitigate digital eye strain. Your monitor should be an arm’s-length away from you and 20 degrees lower than your eye level. It also helps to keep your screen free of dust and glare if at all possible.

Give your eyes a chance to rest. The 20-20-20 rule can be quite helpful: every 20 minutes, find an object that is 20 feet away and focus on it for 20 seconds. This is like the ocular equivalent of stretching your legs.

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EnChroma

Our Location

How to get there?

We’re your local Airdrie optometrist, proudly serving our local Airdrie community. Our team is excited to meet you and become part of your family’s eye health. Find us on Main Street, just south of the Safeway in Tower Lane Mall.

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Our Address

705 Main St S, Suite 150
Airdrie, AB T4B 3M2

Contact

Phone: 403.912.2020
[email protected]

Hours of Operations

Monday
8 AM – 4 PM
Tuesday
8 AM – 4 PM
Wednesday
8 AM – 4 PM
Thursday
8 AM – 4 PM
Friday
8 AM – 4 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

* Closed on long weekends

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