There’s the small screen in our pocket, the big screen we watch our shows on, and the medium screen that many of us stare into for eight hours a day to help pay for those other screens. Are all of these screens ruining our eyes? Probably not, although rumors abound.
Eyestrain is real
Looking at screens for too long can cause eyestrain.
- It can be caused by fatigue of the muscles in and around our eyes, blurry vision, watering of the eyes, and sensitivity to light.
- It is often temporary, and will get better if you look away from the screen occasionally.
How to take care of your eyes when you’re looking at screens
20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away.
- Use eyedrops if your eyes feel dry or feel like they might be getting irritated.
Blue light from screens isn’t ruining your eyes
“The amount of light coming from a computer has never been demonstrated to cause any eye disease,” the American Academy of Opththalmology (AAO) states.
- Unfortunately, there are companies citing research like this to sell their blue-light-blocking glasses or screen overlays, but they aren’t solving a real problem.
Blue light may affect your health and your sleep, but blue light isn’t just about screens
Blue light is just one part of white light
- You get plenty of blue light from the sun, too
- Avoiding screens at bedtime is probably a good idea, but not because there’s anything especially damaging about the screens themselves
