As digital screens become ever more prevalent, more and more people are developing computer vision syndrome. Also known as digital eye strain, this condition starts causing symptoms after just two hours in front of a computer, tablet, or smartphone screen. Fortunately, you can reduce the strain on your eyes by wearing blue light glasses from your North Syracuse optometrist. To see if you might need these glasses, watch for the following symptoms while using digital screens.

Blurry Vision

While using digital screens, your eyes have to continually shift focus while dealing with oft-poor contrast and plenty of glare. After just a couple of hours, your eyes get tired and fail to focus properly, leaving you with blurry vision. You can help the blurriness go away by taking regular five-minute breaks each hour, but it’s not a lasting solution on its own.

Eye Irritation

Most people blink much less often than normal while looking at a digital screen, which can cause your eyes to dry out. To counteract that, your eyes may start to water, making your already blurry vision much worse. Worse yet, by the end of the day, your eyes may look red and feel rather irritated. They may even feel like they’re burning and itching even while trying to rest.

Head, Neck, and Shoulder Pain

As your eyes start feeling strained, you may change your posture to help improve your ability to focus on the screen ahead. This can quickly result in head, neck, and shoulder pain, especially if you start slouching to see the screen better. The pain may last well into the evening hours and even impact your sleep. Over time, this can make the problem much worse as your body fails to repair the damage, which normally occurs while you sleep.

At McPherson Optometry, we diagnose and treat many North Syracuse common eye conditions, including computer vision syndrome. If you’re experiencing any level of eye strain or other symptoms, feel free to give us a call at 315-458-1000 to schedule a visit. During your appointment, we can perform a full eye exam and provide the comprehensive eyecare services you need to enjoy excellent vision.