It is no secret that we spend a lot of time on our phones these days. These small devices have become integral to our lives, and many of us cannot imagine living without them. If you’ve ever accidentally forgotten your phone at home while out for the day, you’ll know just how dependent we are on our little devices.
However, the blue light emitted from the screens of our phones can cause some damage to our eyes. It can cause eye strain, dry eyes, and even disrupt sleep patterns. There are, however, some ways to prevent eye damage from phones, including:
- Adjusting your phone settings
- Taking breaks
- Adjusting the lighting of your device or the room you’re in
- Using anti-glare screen protectors
- Giving your eyes a rest
What is Digital Eye Strain?
Digital eye strain is a condition that occurs when your eyes become fatigued due to prolonged exposure to digital screens. In today’s tech-savvy world, it’s becoming increasingly common, given our reliance on various devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets.
When dealing with digital eye strain, you might notice symptoms such as discomfort in your eyes, irritation, and even difficulty focusing. Despite how uncomfortable it can be, it’s rarely a serious issue. One of the most effective remedies is actually quite simple: give your eyes a break.
However, if you need to use your phone for prolonged periods, here are some helpful tips to ease digital eye strain.
Adjust Your Phone Settings
Blue light, emitted by our electronic devices, significantly impacts our sleep. It’s linked to the suppression of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, potentially leading to disturbances in our sleep patterns.
Strategies to mitigate this issue include using blue light filters or night mode settings available on many devices, which adjust the screen color to a warmer tone and reduce blue light emission.
Additionally, wearing blue light-blocking glasses can be beneficial. These glasses have special lenses designed to filter out blue light, offering eye protection and potentially improving sleep quality.
Minimizing screen time before bed by turning off devices 1-2 hours before sleep can aid in optimizing the sleeping environment, along with dimming the lights, employing blackout curtains, and eliminating bright screens from the bedroom.
Use Anti-Glare Screen Protectors
An anti-glare screen is a filter designed to reduce the reflections and glare on your device’s screen. You’ll find them on various electronics, like laptops, monitors, and smartphones.
They work by spreading out the light that hits your screen so it doesn’t bounce straight back into your eyes.
Applying them to your screen is a breeze, and they come in different styles, like matte and glossy. Even though they might slightly change your screen, technology has come a long way, and most anti-glare screens don’t change your image quality too much.
Take Breaks
Taking breaks is essential, especially when working on your phone for an extended period. The 20-20-20 rule is recommended to mitigate eye strain resulting from prolonged screen time.
The rule suggests that every 20 minutes, you should direct your gaze at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Studies indicate this practice can alleviate symptoms such as dry eyes and headaches.
Adjust Lighting
One of the reasons we experience eye strain when using our phones is because of the lighting in the room and the lighting on our devices. Adjusting the lighting both in the room and on our devices when using them can help alleviate some of the symptoms of eye strain.
Give Your Eyes Some Rest
Give your eyes proper rest when not using your phone. A proper sleep pattern can help prevent eye damage. During this rest period, keep your phone away from your eyes. This will help your eyes rest long-term and potentially reduce eye damage.
Instead of jumping to another screen, consider taking a walk outside and enjoying the beautiful world around you.
Keep Your Eyes Safe from Phone Damage
Our phones are an indispensable part of our lives, but we must take proper care of our eyes when using them. By following the tips above, you can help prevent eye damage and continue enjoying your phone without harming your eyes.
Remember to adjust your phone’s settings, use anti-glare screen protectors, take breaks, adjust lighting, and give your eyes proper rest, and you can help prevent eye damage from phones. Book regular appointments at Total Vision Tierrasanta. We’re here for you!
