Eye Health in the Digital World

These days, it’s nearly impossible to get through the day without spending time staring at a screen. Kids use Smartboards in school and do their homework on laptops. Most adults have to use a digital interface for work, and we all use the apps and games on our phones when we’re not working. Aside from the obvious downsides of increased exposure to age-inappropriate content – there are actual negative impacts to the eyes that result from exposure to backlit digital pages. The American Optometric Association reports that even just 2 hours of uninterrupted screen time can trigger symptoms of digital eye strain, including headaches, blurry vision, and dry or tired eyes. You can’t even watch an entire Marvel film in that time! And most smartphone owners are guilty of using multiple devices simultaneously, even while watching a movie.

There are steps we can take to protect our eyes. The most obvious would be to cut back on the screen time. What might be surprising is that we can bolster our eye health by optimizing certain nutrients in our diet.