Nearly 7 of 10 U.S. adults report digital eye strain symptoms
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An increase in screen time has led to a rise in digital eye strain in the U.S., according to a report released by CooperVision.
“We have an opportunity to teach our patients about the relationship with screen time and eyes and to offer solutions to help curb their symptoms,” Raj Patel, OD, FAAO, from Vancouver Vision Clinic, told Healio.
To help eye care providers better understand trends in screen time and patients’ experience with digital eye strain, CooperVision surveyed 750 adults aged 18 to 44 years, all of whom required vision correction.
According to the report, more than half of respondents reported spending an average of 6 or more hours per day on a digital device, and one in four reported spending an average of 9 hours or more in front of a screen.
Further, 79% of participants reported spending 3 or more hours using a smartphone, and 62% reported that their smartphone usage has increased over the past 2 years. About seven in 10 respondents reported experiencing symptoms associated with digital eye strain, including tired eyes, dryness, eye irritation, headaches or blurry vision, and nearly four in 10 respondents reported experiencing these symptoms multiple times per week.
“We live on our phones: Our contact information, communication, directions, really everything we do is tied to gathering information at our fingertips, but to see how pervasive the symptoms of digital eye strain are is surprising,” Patel said. “I think our patients will feel this is the new norm. For us, we have an opportunity to teach our patients about the relationship with screen time and eyes and to offer solutions to help curb their symptoms.”
The survey also showed that while 99% of respondents with digital eye strain reported trying at least one method for reducing symptoms, general awareness and implementation of these tools and techniques was low. Contact lenses designed to help with digital eye strain were the least known tool, the report stated.
About 60% of participants reported they had never discussed the effects of digital device use with an eye care professional, and of those who had, only 19% reported receiving a recommendation for contact lenses to reduce symptoms.
“I think we will see more advancement in contact lens materials that allow for even longer hours of comfort and innovative designs to continue to address the accommodation issues around prolonged screen time” Patel told Healio. “Screen time is here to stay, so it serves as an opportunity to serve our patients when we can help make their eyes feel better and look better at the end of the day.”
Reference:
- CooperVision research reveals U.S. screen time and digital eye strain continue to rise. https://coopervision.com/sites/coopervision.com/files/media-document/digital-eye-strain-research-report_1.pdf. Published Feb. 20, 2024. Accessed Feb. 26, 2024.
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A new look at digital eye strain. https://coopervision.com/sites/coopervision.com/files/2024-02/digital-eye-strain-research-report.pdf. Published February 2024. Accessed Feb. 26, 2024.
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