The short answerDigital eye strain is a group of temporary symptoms, including dry or burning eyes, blurred vision, headaches and neck or shoulder ache, that come on after long spells at a computer or phone. The main cause is that we blink less while looking at screens, so the eyes dry out, along with constant close focusing. The symptoms are uncomfortable but do not cause permanent damage to adult eyes, and they improve with breaks, the 20-20-20 rule, a better screen set-up and the right glasses.
Symptoms
- Tired, heavy eyes.
- Dryness, burning or a gritty feeling.
- Temporary blur, or slow refocusing from near to far.
- Headaches, often across the forehead and later in the day.
- Neck and shoulder pain from posture.
Why screens tire your eyes
When you concentrate on a screen you blink much less, and some blinks are incomplete, so tears evaporate and the eye surface dries. The focusing muscles inside the eye also work constantly at close range. If you already have dry eye, you will feel the symptoms sooner.
The 20-20-20 rule
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (roughly 6 metres) away for 20 seconds. This short break relaxes the focusing muscles and reminds you to blink. If you work for hours at a time, also take a longer break now and then and get up from your seat.
Set up your screen and space
- Place a computer screen about an arm's length away, with the top at or just below eye level so you look slightly down.
- Make the text bigger rather than leaning in, and hold your phone at a comfortable distance, not right up to your face.
- Match screen brightness to the room, and avoid working with a bright screen in a dark room.
- Reduce glare from windows and overhead lights.
- Do not let air conditioning or a fan blow straight into your face.
The right glasses make a difference
Uncorrected long-sightedness or astigmatism makes the eyes work harder at a screen. After 40, presbyopia makes close focusing harder, and you may need reading glasses or a pair set for computer distance. If symptoms continue despite better habits, have your eyes tested.
Blue-light glasses: what does the evidence say?
Current research does not show that blue light from screens harms the eyes, or that blue-light-blocking glasses prevent eye disease or meaningfully reduce screen strain, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend them for this. The main causes of strain are reduced blinking and long periods of close focus, not the colour of the light. Cutting screen use before bed may help sleep, which is a separate matter from eye health.
Children and short-sightedness
In adults, screens do not cause permanent eye damage. In children, short-sightedness is linked to a lot of close work (screens and reading) and too little time outdoors. Encourage your child to play outside in daylight every day, set limits on screen time, and get their eyes checked if they sit close to screens or squint.
Screen strain does not cause severe pain or a sudden drop in vision. Strong pain, redness with marked light sensitivity, or blurred vision that does not improve with rest needs an eye exam.
Frequently asked questions
Do phones damage your eyesight?
In adults, phones and screens cause temporary strain and dryness but no permanent loss of vision. In children, lots of close work with little time outdoors is linked to more short-sightedness.
Do blue-light glasses work?
Current evidence does not show that they prevent eye disease or meaningfully reduce screen strain. Breaks, blinking, a good screen set-up and the right prescription help more.
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes at a screen, look at something about 6 metres (20 feet) away for 20 seconds. It relaxes your focusing muscles and reminds you to blink.
My eyes burn after using the computer. What should I do?
Take breaks, blink deliberately, keep air conditioning off your face, and try artificial tears. If the burning happens every day, you may have dry eye that needs an exam.