Unplug this holiday season!

Do your eyes a favor – maximize family time and minimize screen time

Putting those devices away and spending time with family and friends is not only good for your overall wellbeing, it can also help protect your vision.

According to an article by The Vision Council, about 80 percent of American adults report using digital devices for more than two hours per day with nearly 67 percent using two or more devices simultaneously.

With an increase in digital technology, many individuals suffer from physical discomfort after screen use for longer than two hours at a time. The Vision Council refers to this collection of symptoms as digital eye strain. 59 percent of adults report experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain, including eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, as well as neck and shoulder pain.

According to the article, more than 70 percent of American adults report their child(ren) receives more than two hours of screen time per day, yet nearly 25 percent are still not concerned about the impact of digital devices on their child(ren)’s developing eyes but they should be. Children experience headaches, neck and shoulder pain, eye strain, reduced attention span, poor behavior and irritability after being exposed to two or more hours of screen time.

To alleviate eye strain, The Vision Council recommends the following:

• Take frequent breaks from using digital devices
• Reduce overhead lighting to eliminate screen glare
• Position yourself at arm’s distance away from the screen for proper viewing distance when at a computer
• Increase text size on devices to better define content on the screen
• Purchase eyewear with lenses featuring magnification, plus anti-reflective and blue light-filtering capabilities, to help reduce the symptoms of digital eye strain. These specialized lenses can be incorporated into virtually any pair of frames available at a variety of price points.
• Adults and their child(ren) should visit an eyecare provider to discuss their digital habits and what solutions are available to relieve the symptoms of digital eye strain.

Don’t let digital devices get in the way of your eye health! Visit your eyecare provider and reduce your risk of vision loss.
Contact ZiekerEye to request an appointment for an eye exam today!

Source: https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/content/digital-eye-strain