The average person spends a staggering 10 hours and 39 minutes each day looking at screens, whether it's on a desktop or laptop computer, television, smartphone, tablet, or gaming device. Prolonged screen exposure increases the risk of several eye injuries and conditions, including dry eye, eye fatigue, nearsightedness, and retinal damage that leads to early macular degeneration. Here are some ways to protect your eyes from screens and keep them—and your vision—healthy and strong.

How to Protect Your Eyes From Screens

1. Remember the 20-20-20 Rule

The 20-20-20 rule is an easy way to reduce eye strain and fatigue. Every 20 minutes, look up from your device and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds. This allows your eyes time to rest and relax. As you focus on a distant object, feel free to blink; blinking naturally lubricates the eyes by renewing tear film, which helps prevent dry eye and the discomfort it can cause.

2. Adjust Color Settings

When it comes to screens, blue light presents more danger to the eyes than other colors. This is because nearly all blue light passes directly to the retina and scatters more easily than other visible light, potentially damaging retinal cells. One way to minimize blue light is to adjust the settings on your screens. Change the colors to more yellowish shades; yellow is the opposite of blue. Additionally, take advantage of night mode on your devices, as this may help reduce eye strain.

3. Keep Devices an Arm's Length Away

Most people tend to keep their screens mere inches from their face—just far enough to make out what they're looking at yet still close enough to shut out most other aspects of their environment. There's no need to keep your eyes so close to the screen. Not only can you likely still make out the screen from some distance away, but keeping the device at arm's length can decrease eye strain and encourage blinking, which helps prevent dry eye. For best results, aim to hold your screens between 20 and 40 inches from your face.

If screen exposure is irritating your eyes, it's time to see an eye doctor. Comprehensive Eye Care has been serving the Franklin County, MO, area since 1993. They offer treatments for a variety of ocular issues, including dry eye, cataracts, and glaucoma, as well as a full selection of glasses and contact lenses. Call (636) 390-3999 to schedule an eye exam or visit them online to browse their services.