Dry eyes, burning and blurred vision: when screens start to take their toll on the eyes

A computer at work, a mobile phone in your hand, a tablet at home and the television in the evening. Screens are a natural part of life today. They help us work, communicate, learn and relax. The problem is that our eyes are often not prepared for such a regime.

Burning, stinging, dryness, watering, eye fatigue, headaches or blurred vision. Many people attribute these problems to ordinary tiredness, stress or worsening dioptres. In reality, however, they may be symptoms of digital eye strain syndrome, which is appearing more and more often in people who work with a computer, mobile phone or tablet.

MUDr. Ivo Ďurkovič, MPH, ophthalmologist and founder of the iClinic eye clinic, also spoke about this topic to the eReport.sk portal. He explained why screens tire the eyes, how they are related to dry eye syndrome and when simply “taking a break from the monitor” is no longer enough.

 

 

Why do screens tire us more than we think?

When watching a screen, the eyes behave differently than when looking normally into space. For a longer time they focus on the same distance and at the same time blink less often. And it is blinking that is very important for a healthy eye surface.

Each blink helps to spread the tear film evenly over the surface of the eye. The tear film moistens and protects the eye and helps to create a comfortable, sharp image. If we blink less, the tear film may become unstable and the eye starts to dry out faster.

The result can be burning, stinging, a feeling of sand in the eyes, watering, pressure in the eyes or blurred vision. That is precisely why digital eye strain syndrome is very often also related to dry eye syndrome.

Dry eyes from the computer are not just minor discomfort

Many people take burning or stinging eyes as the normal price of working with a computer. But eyes should not regularly burn, sting or water. If these problems recur, it is a signal that something is not right.

Dry eye syndrome occurs when not enough tears are produced or the tears are not of the right quality. The eye is then not sufficiently protected and moistened. When working with screens, this problem can become even more pronounced, because the reduced blink rate worsens the stability of the tear film.

At the same time, dry eye does not necessarily mean only a feeling of dryness. Paradoxically, it can also manifest itself as watering. This is because the eye tries to compensate for the irritation by producing excessive tears, but these may not have the right composition and do not solve the problem.

Blurred vision does not necessarily mean new dioptres straight away

One of the common misconceptions is the idea that if a person sees blurred, they automatically need stronger glasses. That is not always true.

If the tear film is unstable, the image may be fluctuating, hazy or less sharp. The patient has the feeling that their dioptres have worsened, but the cause may lie in dry eye, eye fatigue or prolonged focusing at a close distance.

When working at a computer, a so-called accommodative spasm can also occur. Simply put, the eye “gets used to” near work and after a while may have trouble relaxing its focus for distance. A person may then get the feeling that their distance vision has deteriorated, although it may not be a permanent refractive error.

That is exactly why it is important not to deal with recurring problems only with new glasses or drops from the pharmacy. The correct cause can only be determined by a professional eye examination.

MUDr. Ivo Ďurkovič, MPH, chief ophthalmologist of the iClinic network, explains: “When working with screens, the eyes focus at a close distance and a person naturally blinks less often. This can disrupt the stability of the tear film, and burning, stinging, watering or a feeling of tired eyes may appear. It is important to distinguish whether it is ordinary tiredness, dry eye syndrome, an accommodative problem or another eye diagnosis.”

The problem may not lie only in the screen

The display itself is not always the culprit. The environment and the way we work with the screen also have a big influence.

The eyes can be unnecessarily strained by brightness that is too strong or too weak, unsuitable contrast, small font, reflections from a window or lamp, air conditioning, dry air or the wrong distance from the monitor. If several hours of work without a break are added to this, the eyes will naturally make themselves felt.

A better workstation set-up, suitable lighting, larger text, regular breaks and conscious blinking can help. The distance from the screen is also important. The monitor should not be too close and should be positioned so that it does not unnecessarily strain the neck, the nape of the neck or the eyes.

The 20-20-20 rule: a simple habit that helps the eyes

One of the simplest recommendations when working with screens is the 20-20-20 rule. It means that after approximately 20 minutes of near work, you should look for at least 20 seconds at a distance of approximately 20 feet, i.e. about 6 metres.

In practice, it does not have to be anything complicated. It is enough to look out of the window, focus on a more distant object in the room or step away from the computer for a moment. The aim is to interrupt long focusing at the same distance and give the eyes a short rest.

Such small breaks may not always solve the problem, but they can significantly reduce the daily strain on the eyes. Regularity is of great importance especially for people who spend a large part of the working day at a computer.

Digital eye strain also affects children

Children use screens today too. Mobile phones, tablets, computers and televisions are a normal part of both school and free time. That is precisely why it is important to monitor not only how much time a child spends in front of a screen, but also how they behave while doing so.

Parents should pay attention if a child often squints, holds a mobile phone or tablet very close to their eyes, complains of headaches, burning eyes or tiredness, or has trouble concentrating. Difficulty reading from the board or from the screen can also be a warning sign.

In children, it is extremely important to distinguish whether it is just eye fatigue, accommodative spasm, a genuine refractive error or another eye problem. If the problems recur, an eye examination should not be postponed.

When are artificial tears no longer enough?

For mild and occasional problems, preservative-free artificial tears can help. They can moisten the surface of the eye and bring relief, especially in dry air, with air conditioning or during longer work at the computer.

However, if burning, stinging, watering, eye fatigue or blurred vision recur regularly, drops alone may not address the cause. This is because dry eye may not have the same origin in everyone. In some people it is insufficient tear production, in others rapid tear evaporation, a problem with the lipid layer of the tear film, inflammation of the eyelid margins or a combination of several factors.

Modern ophthalmology today makes it possible to assess the condition of the tear film and the ocular surface in more detail. Thanks to this, the doctor can set the treatment in a more targeted way, rather than just generally recommending “some drops”.

When to see an ophthalmologist?

An eye examination is advisable especially if the problems recur, get worse or interfere with everyday functioning. Burning eyes after a long day at the computer may be a sign of overload, but if it occurs often, it is not sensible to consider it a normal part of work.

An examination is also appropriate in the case of frequent headaches, problems with focusing, marked sensitivity to light, a feeling of sand in the eyes, redness or fluctuating vision.

Behind these symptoms there may be dry eye syndrome, an uncorrected refractive error, an accommodative problem, inflammation of the eyelid margins or another eye disease. The sooner the cause is found, the easier it is to solve the problem.

Screens will not disappear. What matters is how we use them

Digital technologies are part of work, school and leisure. The aim is therefore not to avoid them completely. That would not even be realistic today. What is important is to learn to use them in such a way that the eyes do not suffer unnecessarily.

Regular breaks, conscious blinking, correct monitor set-up, suitable lighting, enough time spent outdoors and preventive eye examinations can significantly improve visual comfort.

Dry eyes, burning and blurred vision need not be something you simply have to put up with. If your eyes regularly protest when you work with screens, book a professional eye examination at iClinic and find out what they really need.

This article was prepared on the basis of an expert statement by MUDr. Ivo Ďurkovič, MPH for the eReport.sk portal. The original article was published under the title “Suché oči, pálenie a rozmazané videnie: Odborník upozorňuje na problém digitálnej doby”.