Prevent digital eyestrain and protect your vision with these simple tips and tools

Whether you like it or not, screen time is an inevitable part of modern life, and for some of us, it's pretty much how we spend our whole workday. If your job requires you to spend the bulk of your day staring at a computer, tablet or phone, you may be wondering if all the blue light exposure is harmful to your vision. Fortunately, this type of digital eyestrain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is unlikely to cause any permanent damage, but it may lead to discomfort. You don't have to resign yourself to dry, irritated eyes, though — we consulted with the experts to get tips on how to avoid annoying symptoms and keep your vision strong.

Why is screen time considered bad for your eyes?

If you've ever been locked into an hours-long perusal of spreadsheets followed by back-to-back Zoom calls, you may have come away from the day with dry eyes, blurry vision and a bit of redness. Certainly, if your eyes themselves are telling you that they've been overworked, there's reason to take note. However, you may also wonder what's actually different between a day spent staring at a screen and a day spent ditching your devices. Well, it's all about light.

"All 'white light' is actually a combination of the rainbow of light waves, from red to indigo," says Ashley Hayden, MD, retired ophthalmologist and cofounder of GentleDrop. "Blue light is emitted by screens more than the other colors in the spectrum and has been suggested to cause eye damage," she says. However, that doesn't mean the blue light from your computer is actually damaging your vision. This is because the damage noted from blue light was studied as light emitted from the sun — at levels that are much greater than anything produced by screens, says Hayden.

"Blue light is a range of light that contains the highest amount of energy in the visible light spectrum," says Danielle Richardson, OD, a Los Angeles-based VSP network optometrist. "Blue light is a short wavelength, which means it produces higher amounts of energy. It's all around us, from natural sources like the sun to artificial ones like LED lights and digital screens.

"Some level of blue light exposure is normal, but too much, especially from artificial sources like your smartphone, tablet or computer, may contribute to digital eyestrain," Richardson explains. This is because blue light's shorter wavelength focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on the retina. "The eye has to work harder to maintain focus, leading to eyestrain and fatigue," she says. This may lead to computer vision syndrome symptoms, including dry eyes, blurred vision, tired eyes, sore eyes, watery eyes and headaches.

It's important to note, though, that these symptoms are due to the eyestrain required to focus on the screen emitting the blue light, not the blue light itself.

Does screen time damage your vision?

While excessive exposure to blue light from your screens may cause annoying symptoms, it shouldn't actually damage your vision. "Blue light doesn't cause damage, but it may cause discomfort or vision issues," says Richardson.

Indeed, the American Academy of Ophthalmology says there is no evidence of a link between blue light exposure and actual damage to the retina or age-related macular degeneration. Overexposure to blue light from the sun can increase the risk of developing eye disease. However, the amount of blue light coming from your computer is not nearly as strong and should not damage your eyes in the short or long term.

While this is a relief to hear, it's probably not helpful when you experience the feeling of tired eyes or headaches after spending all day on your computer. "When you spend hours focusing on things up close, like your computer screen or smartphone, the muscles in your eyes have to work overtime to keep things clear and focused," notes Richardson. "The longer you work on those near tasks, the more fatigued those eye muscles get, and that can lead to symptoms." If left untreated, those symptoms can occur more often and become more uncomfortable. "While it's not causing permanent damage, taking steps to reduce digital eyestrain can help keep your eyes more comfortable in the long run," she says.

How to prevent strain and discomfort from excessive screen time

You may have heard that blue light glasses are the solution to digital eyestrain, but that's not really true. Blue light glasses have their place, but they won't keep your eyes from feeling blurry and tired at the end of a long day. "If you are having eye irritation, blurry vision or headache with screens, I recommend a few coping steps that don't involve blue light glasses," Hayden says. She suggests walking away from the computer and spending a few minutes outside in the fresh air.

Richardson laid out several ideas for ways to mitigate and prevent any eye discomfort resulting from too much screen time.

• Make sure you have the correct prescription for any vision correction needs. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, it's important that you have a current prescription. "Often, I find that patients are straining their eyes, and the fix is simply an updated prescription, which you can get during an eye exam with your local optometrist," says Richardson. "There are also specialty options like digital lenses and anti-fatigue lenses that can help make screen time more comfortable."

• Adjust your screen distance and brightness. Sitting too close or too far from your screen can definitely contribute to feelings of strain and discomfort over the long term. "Keeping your screens at least an arm's length away and turning down the brightness can make a difference on how hard your eyes have to work when focusing on a screen," she says.

• Keep your eyes moist and hydrated. "We tend to blink less when our eyes are focused on near work like using computer screens and smartphones," says Richardson. "Less blinking means less lubrication, which can lead to dry and irritated eyes." Make it a point to blink your eyes more frequently, and also consider using eye drops to help keep your eyes moist.

• Take frequent breaks. "When possible, take a break to get up, walk around, stretch or simply look out the window to give those eyes a rest," she says. Some people may find it helpful to set alarms on their phones as reminders to step away from the screen.

• Get an annual eye exam. "The best thing you can do for your eye health is to schedule an annual eye exam," says Richardson. "Your eye doctor can provide tailored treatment options to reduce symptoms of digital eyestrain and correct an underlying refractive error, but they can also help identify if something more serious is going on with your vision and eye health."

So what's the deal with blue light glasses?

You may have heard that if you spend your days in front of a computer, you should be using blue light glasses to help reduce eyestrain. But if you're hoping blue light glasses will be the panacea for your achy eyes, you're probably going to be disappointed. "We know that blue-light-reducing products may help alleviate the symptoms of digital eyestrain, but other factors — like taking breaks, adjusting your distance from screens, and proper lighting — are just as important. I would say while blue light glasses are a nice tool to have, they're not a magic fix," says Richardson. However, if you're looking to reduce eyestrain and have already made some lifestyle changes, you might want to try a pair to see if they help.

This is especially true if you think your screen time may also be affecting your bedtime routine and keeping you up at night. "Blue lights from screens have been known to disrupt your circadian rhythms," Richardson says. "Scrolling before bed can really damage your sleep cycle and should be avoided." If you aren't able to limit your bedtime doomscroll [slowly raises hand], at least put your phone in night mode to limit blue and UV light exposure, she suggests.

Products, tools and tips to help

Artificial tears

When it comes to symptoms of eyestrain, dryness is one that is easy to alleviate. Keeping the eyes hydrated can go a long way toward making your screen time more comfortable. "Artificial tears are a great tool to keep those eyes hydrated," says Richardson. "Just make sure to select products that are preservative-free, and avoid any generic artificial tears, as there have been a number of mass recalls in the last few years." She suggests consulting with your eye doctor for recommendations of the most reputable brands of eye drops.

Blue-blocking glasses for extreme light sensitivity

"The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend blue light glasses to prevent or treat digital eyestrain due to lack of evidence," says Robert Kinast, MD, vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute and CEO and cofounder of GentleDrop. However, he does recommend FL-41 rose-tinted glasses for people with photophobia (severe light sensitivity). "These blue-blocking glasses may also have some benefit for chronic eye pain and migraines," he says.

While it's true that blue light glasses won't literally treat digital eyestrain, they may make staring at screens feel a little better if you're experiencing symptoms. "While blue light glasses can help with glare, they won't solve everything on their own," says Richardson. "I often like to tell my patients that blue light glasses are a part of the puzzle, not the whole picture. They are a great tool that may contribute to preventing and alleviating symptoms of digital eyestrain, but to get the best results, you'll need a solid combination of healthy screen time habits to truly prevent digital eyestrain."

She suggests implementing the lifestyle changes she outlined previously to help reduce uncomfortable symptoms of digital eyestrain. She also says you can look into adding a blue light antireflective coating to your eyeglass lenses if you already wear glasses.

Bottom line

While there is no simple fix for digital eyestrain, a combination of lifestyle and work habit changes can go a long way toward making your days spent in front of your laptop more comfortable. When it comes down to it, keeping it simple and balancing your day could be the best cure of all.

Meet our experts

• Ashley Hayden, MD, retired ophthalmologist and cofounder of GentleDrop

• Robert Kinast, MD, vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute and CEO and cofounder of GentleDrop

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.