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By Amber Dowling
When you’re in the world of tech, elevated screen time is nearly unavoidable. Many of us spend long hours in front of a screen (or two, or even three) radiating blue light, leading to eye strain and other vision problems, neck pain, and even reduced productivity. Too much screen time has been proven to have the potential to harm our health, with the group of eye- and vision-related problems that can occur with extended screen time officially dubbed computer vision syndrome. If you’re suffering from computer vision syndrome, however, the good news is there are measures you can take to reduce symptoms, feel better, and stay focused. Read on for our top tips to minimize screen fatigue and protect your productivity.
What is screen fatigue?
Screen fatigue, which has become a hot topic in the tech industry, is the informal name for computer vision syndrome. It occurs when the muscles in and around the eye become worn out and strained from prolonged screen use. Screen fatigue can equally affect those who wear glasses and contacts and those who don’t. After the pandemic started and the world in general turned to their screens for meetings and conferences, screen fatigue and eye strain began affecting more people than ever.
What causes screen fatigue?
There are several factors that contribute to screen fatigue, including screen glare, bad lighting, bad posture, uncorrected vision problems, and a poor ergonomic setup. Anyone who sits too closely to their computer screen or digital device, views their screens from the wrong angle, or constantly spends long hours staring at a screen without a break (read: potentially anyone in the tech industry), is susceptible to screen fatigue.
What are screen fatigue symptoms?
Common symptoms of screen fatigue include blurred vision, double vision, dry eye, general eye discomfort, and eye fatigue. Other symptoms can include itching and red or tearing eyes, as well as headaches, a sore neck, or shoulder pain. If you begin to feel any of these symptoms while working, it’s important to address them before they put a stop to your workflow. If you’re working in tech (or any screen-heavy industry), it’s likely you’ve already felt some of these symptoms, and maybe you even keep some eye drops in that desk drawer of yours.
Follow as next week to read more about How to avoid screen fatigue.
