As a child and young adult, I took my 20-20 vision for granted. By 24, though, I noticed the leaves on distant trees looked a little fuzzy. My first corrective lenses were an easy fix—I never considered I might encounter other eye challenges down the road.
Like many, I spend hours glued to screens—researching, writing or scrolling Instagram reels. Add in my love of reading (more staring at small text), and recently, I've noticed something odd: slightly watery eyes. But my eyes didn't hurt, so I shrugged it off. A sign of aging, perhaps?
Turns out, ironically, watery eyes can be a surprising symptom of dry eye. Staring at screens for long, uninterrupted periods dry out your eyes because you blink less. And let's be real—most of us use screens for work and recreation, which can mean marathon screen sessions.
A 2023 report found that, globally, adults spend an average of 6.5 hours daily on screens. All that screen time isn't just making us feel mentally fried—it's also giving our eyes a serious workout.
EYE MUSCLES ARE WORKING OVERTIME
With extended screen time, there are three main things digital devices can affect or amplify, explained Cynthia Geneva, OD, FAAO, with West Michigan Eyecare Associates.
1. Eye Moving Muscles: These help your eyes look around. Excessive screen time can make them stiff and tired, causing strain.
2. Eye Focusing Muscles: These adjust your vision to see clearly at different distances. Staring at screens overworks them and makes it tougher for your eyes to relax, which can cause temporary-blurred vision.
3. Eye Teaming Muscles: These ensure your eyes work together to create one clear image. Prolonged close-up screen time forces them inward, causing fatigue. This can lead to headaches, double vision or trouble focusing.
And if that's not enough, there's the added challenge of pixels.
"Digital screens aren't as sharply defined as printed text," explained Geneva. "Our eyes constantly refocus to make sense of the pixilated characters, and our brains have to process that information. Your brain's processing system works nonstop."
That can cause overload, eye fatigue, strain and even low-grade headaches.
WHAT'S THE SOLUTION?
If ditching screens altogether isn't realistic (hello, we have work to do!), don't worry.
"Fortunately, there are practices you can build into your digital time to help keep your eyes healthy," Geneva said.
Here are easy tweaks to keep your eyes healthy while still conquering your to-do list.
Eye-Saving Strategies
1. Blink like you mean it. "We tend to 'half blink' on devices," said Geneva. "Make sure your upper and lower eyelids fully touch to keep your eyes moist."
2. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This simple trick relaxes your eye muscles. "A longer break is more effective, but a short break is better than no break," Geneva explained. "Twenty seconds is the minimum."
3. Tweak your screen settings. Play around with brightness, contrast and resolution until your eyes feel comfortable.
4. Activate Night Shift/Night Light—even during the day. Blue light is proven to affect melatonin release, but filters on devices aren't just for better sleep. "It also helps reduce strain during the day," Geneva said.
5. Check your screen position. Ideally, your monitor should be at eye level and about an arm's length away. Too high? Your eyes can dry out. Too low? You'll hunch over and poor posture can cause ergonomic issues. There's an extra caution for bifocal wearers: "If you wear bifocals," said Geneva, "you might tip your head back to see the screen better, which could lead to neck strain."
6. Stay hydrated. Drink water (your eyes love it!), avoid pointing fans at your face and use artificial tears regularly. Opt for preservative-free brands like Systane, Refresh or Optase for the best results.
END WITH CLEAR VISION
The bottom line: We live in a screen-filled world and our eyes are paying the price. But with a few small adjustments, you can protect your vision without sacrificing your digital lifestyle.
"It's also a good idea to have an eye exam every two to three years. That can help us catch any eye diseases before they become late-stage diseases," said Geneva.
Your happier eyes will thank you now and in the future.
Little Eyes
Too much screen time may be linked to myopia (nearsightedness) in kids. Teach blinking breaks, follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for screen time, and encourage outdoor play to protect your child's vision now and set them up for healthier eyes in the future!
Kirsetin Morello is a Michigan-based author, speaker, writer, travel-lover, wife and grateful mom of three boys. Read more about her at www.KirsetinMorello.com.
This article originally appeared in the Feb/Mar '25 issue of West Michigan Woman.
