If you spend more than three hours a day on a screen, you've probably felt it, tired eyes by mid-afternoon, headaches creeping in, blurry vision when you look up from your laptop. The good news: digital eye strain is real, and it's very fixable.
First, get familiar with the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It gives your focusing muscles a brief, scheduled break and is by far the highest-impact habit you can build.
Second, check your distance and lighting. Your screen should be about an arm's length away, with the top of the monitor at or slightly below eye level. Bright ambient lighting (not glare from windows) reduces contrast strain.
Third, consider blue-light filtering and a computer-distance prescription if you wear glasses. Many patients benefit from a dedicated pair tuned for the typical 20–28 inch screen distance.
Fourth, blink. We blink roughly 60% less when staring at a screen. Conscious blinking, and lubricating drops if needed, keeps your tear film healthy.
Finally, get an exam. Sometimes what feels like screen fatigue is actually an uncorrected prescription, dry eye, or a binocular vision issue. We can usually pinpoint it in a single visit.