Digital eye strain is widespread among more than 50% of computer and digital device users; the eye muscles strain while focusing for long periods in front of screens, which causes headaches, eye pain, and other signs of digital eye strain, which may persist even after moving away from screens sometimes.

 

---

Edited by| Paul Mitchel

 

Health  section -  CJ journalist

 

World – July,5,2023

 

---

Therefore, the 20-20-20 method was developed to prevent digital eye strain, it includes relaxing the eye, and resting it regularly from time to time for a fixed period; to relax the strained eye muscles, and maintain vision without cramps.

An innovative way to overcome digital eye strain involves looking at an object 20 feet (6 meters) or more away for 20 seconds, repeating every 20 minutes while sitting in front of screens.

The need for the 20-20-20 method is confirmed if suffering from symptoms of digital eye strain, such as:

Clouding of vision.

Eye lacrimation.

Headaches.

Difficulty concentrating.

Difficulty keeping an eye open.

Redness of the eye.

Eye pain or itching.

Dry eyes.

Double vision.

Neck, shoulder, or back pain.

The 20-20-20 method is useful for anyone who wants to maintain eye health; digital eye strain is not limited to performing some tasks in front of a computer or smartphone, but even watching a video, or playing video games is also eye-stressful.

The symptoms of digital eyestrain may persist even after finishing working on digital devices, and the prominence of symptoms and not giving the eye a rest period, leads to the continuation of the symptoms of digital eyestrain for a longer period.

So if the symptoms of digital eyestrain appear, there is a need for the 20-20-20 method, and if you do not suffer from these symptoms, you can protect the eye through this method that does not cost anything.

How does the 20-20-20 method protect against eye strain

The eye muscles are strongly activated to keep typing on a computer screen clear to the eye, and one may continue to stare at the screen for a long time, which leads to eye muscle strain.

The eye is not set up for this kind of close focus over a long period of time, so making this effort every day may lead to digital eye strain at some point.

The farthest the eye can see clearly is about 20 feet away, which means that objects visible at this distance or less allow light rays to enter the eye parallel to each other, which inhibits the process of adaptation of the eye.

Adaptation of the eye (accommodation) adapts to changes in distance during vision in order to focus the light rays entering the eye in the retina, which allows to see clearly when the light rays fall on the retina neither in front of it nor behind it.

So when looking at the screen (the distance is close); the ciliary muscles contract, and the curve of the lens of the eye becomes convex; to focus the light rays coming from a close distance on the retina; to see clearly.

When looking at an object at a distance of 20 feet or more, the ciliary muscles relax, and the lens of the eye becomes flat.

The secret is that the constant contraction of the ciliary muscles while looking at the screen is one of the causes of eye strain, and then repeatedly looking at a distance of 20 feet, gives these muscles an opportunity to rest, and then prevents digital eye strain.

The external eye muscles are also controlled to maintain clarity of vision while sitting in front of the screen, so they may remain clenched for a long time, which leads to stress as well, and for this was the 20-20-20 way to prevent digital eye strain.

Why every 20 minutes

It is not the number of minutes that is the goal specifically, but the purpose is to give the eye an organized time to rest, and the right time can be chosen for you, but resting the eye every 20 minutes is the ideal option, if this is difficult, then perhaps the eye should be rested once or twice every hour, this is definitely better than not resting it even for a little time.

Why keep going for 20 seconds

Peeping away from the screen will not achieve the desired eye comfort, and prevent the eye adaptation for some time; as the ciliary muscles take some time to relax, and allow the curve of the lens to flatten; to see distant objects clearly and stop the eye adaptation a little.

It is advisable not to spend more than 8 hours in front of screens if it is for Work Purpose, but the entertainment screen time should preferably be between 2-4 hours only, and the eye should be rested from time to time to prevent stress.

In addition to the 20-20-20 method, the symptoms of digital eyestrain are also alleviated by the following tips:

1-eye drops

Do not blink your eyes too much while using digital screens, which leads to dryness, and then it is recommended to blink first and not stare continuously at the screen for a long time, in addition to using eye drops or artificial tears; to prevent dry eyes.

2 - prefer glasses to contact lenses

If you spend a lot of time in front of the screen, it may be better to use glasses instead of contact lenses; contact lenses can increase dry eyes.

3. air humidifier

It is also advisable to use an air humidifier; to humidify the room, especially if it is dry, that dryness aggravates dry eyes.

4-reduce screen glare

Anti-glare screens can be purchased for a computer monitor or smartphone to prevent eye strain, and flat screens glare less than others.

5-centering the screen

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommended preferring to keep the screen at a distance of 64 cm from the eye, which is approximately equal to a human arm, and preferably the screen should be at a relatively low level from the eye.

6-adjust the screen contrast and brightness

Only changing the monitor settings, reducing its brightness to the tolerable acceptable degree to clearly see the text, may be enough to prevent digital eyestrain.

7-periodic eye examination

Failure to correct vision defects is one of the causes of eye strain, but it may be the hidden reason not to spend a long time in front of screens, and then it is recommended to visit the doctor periodically to examine the eye and make sure of its safety.

 

---

 

{source}<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-4474625449481215"

crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

<!-- moss test ad -->

<ins class="adsbygoogle"

style="display:block"

data-ad-client="ca-pub-4474625449481215"

data-ad-slot="6499882985"

data-ad-format="auto"

data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>

<script>

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

</script>{/source}