Warning from the expert: “Look at an object away for at least 20 seconds”
Complaints such as redness, stinging, burning, itching, dryness, watering, focusing problem, eye fatigue and headache that occur in the eyes following the use of phones, tablets and computers are defined as digital eyestrain. Pointing out that one cause of digital eye strain is focus fatigue, Ophthalmologist Dr. Erkan Bulut said: “To reduce the risk of straining your eyes by constantly focusing on the screen, look elsewhere from your computer at least every 20 minutes and look at an object far away for at least 20 seconds. Looking away relaxes the focus muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.”
Complaints such as redness, stinging, burning, itching, dryness, watering, focusing problem, eye fatigue and headache that occur in the eyes following the use of phones, tablets and computers are defined as digital eyestrain. Pointing out that one cause of digital eye strain is focus fatigue, Ophthalmologist Dr. Erkan Bulut said: “To reduce the risk of straining your eyes by constantly focusing on the screen, look elsewhere from your computer at least every 20 minutes and look at an object far away for at least 20 seconds. Looking away relaxes the focus muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.”
Speaking about what needs to be done to reduce the risk of digital eye strain or related complaints, Dr. Erkan Bulut, Ophthalmology Specialist from Istanbul Gelisim University, said: “Mechanisms that may cause fatigue should be determined and eliminated. The measures that can be taken here can be grouped as changing environmental factors and measures to be taken by the reader with eye care. The first factor that needs to be regulated from environmental factors is lighting. Bright lights, direct sunlight from the screen, and overhead fluorescent lamps often cause glare and eye discomfort. Studies have shown that eye fatigue is more common in people who use digital screens in a room that is too bright or dark, and that people who use darker screen colors have more complaints of dry eyes. The brightness of the screen should be similar to the ambient lighting and the contrast should be increased as much as possible to minimize eye strain and discomfort.”
