Increased Screen Time Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic Heightens the Risk of Eyesight Problems.
With more Americans working from home in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the amount of time spent in front of screens has increased drastically with negative consequences, not only for our eyes, but also for our overall health.
According to Dr. Rob J. Weinstock, director of cataract and refractive surgery at the Eye Institute of West Florida, “All this increased time in front of phones, laptops, monitors and TVs is leading to increased exposure to harmful high-energy blue light waves. It’s well known that over exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin release by the brain which disrupts normal sleep patterns. Poor sleep in all age groups is known to be a factor in diseases such as diabetes, heart disease as well psychological conditions such as depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD.)”
Some symptoms of too much screen time include tired or itchy eyes, blurry vision or dry eyes. “These feelings can be accompanied by headaches, sore neck and back and other symptoms such as sensitivity to light and difficulty concentrating — these are all signs of eye strain,” said Dr. Weinstock.
But what can we do when, due to this pandemic, we are have increased our daily exposure to screens?
One of the things we can do is take small breaks. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people take a 20-second break for every 20 minutes of screen time. However, this might not always be possible. Like many others, my company has started conducting meetings via videoconference. It would be rather odd if 2-3 times during our meetings we all took a 20-second break to rest our eyes.
In the words of Dr. Weinstock “I know it’s not easy to just set the phone down or turn the TV off — as many of us are working from home that’s just not feasible – which is why I recommend investing in solutions can help filter out harmful blue light as opposed to solutions that encourage you to cut down on screen time.” One such solution are Hazuki Glasses.
Hazuki Glasses reduce blue light exposure considerably and blocks 99% of UV light. They offer clear vision in any light and as a bonus offer magnification! For people that spend a lot of time working in front of their computers, a 1.32x magnification is highly recommended. For a limited time you can get discounted Hazuki Glasses by calling the number below:
I have been using these for over a year and can tell you that they are excellent! My headaches, eye strain and issues working in low light are a thing of the past. I even sleep better since I started using them, which reduces the risk of other serious conditions such as heart disease. I strongly recommend them to anyone who like me, spends a lot of time staring at screens, especially during these trying times.
