Rouse Family Eye Care has been providing optometry services to those living in Weston, FL, and surrounding communities for years. We’re a full-service provider, and because we understand that accidents have a way of happening, we also accept patients on an emergency basis. Our skilled staff provides each patient with a personalized experience designed to meet their individual eye care needs and preferences. We work with insurance companies as well as offer in-house financing options to ensure that our patients don’t go without the care that they need.

At Rouse Family Eye Care, we strive to remain current on cutting edge technology on all aspects of optometry, and we understand that today’s customers struggle with different challenges than their counterparts of the past. For instance, the Age of Technology has brought a whole new dimension to general optometry.  With most Americans using a digital device as a part of their normal employment or school obligations, digital eye strain has become a common condition. Even those who don’t use digital screens for work or school are at risk of developing digital eye strain if they use digital devices for social media, communication, or entertainment purposes. According to the American Optometric Association, anyone who spends two or more hours per day looking at a screen is at risk of developing eye strain issues.

Symptoms of Digital Eye Strain

Those suffering from digital eye strain may experience headaches, itching, red, and burning eyes, sore necks, double vision, sensitivity to light, and blurry vision. Some patients find that they have difficulty keeping their eyes open after long exposures to digital screens even when they aren’t tired, while others may experience dry or overly watery eyes.  Secondary symptoms neck and shoulder pain and difficulty concentrating. Digital eye strain can affect the quality of your work as well as your overall quality of life. Fortunately, advances in eye care technology are available to provide those suffering from this condition with relief.

Digital Eyestrain Solutions

One of the easiest ways you can gain relief from digital eye strain is to take frequent breaks from your digital device. Experts suggest that you should be taking one 10-minute break for every hour that you work on a screen. Getting up and walking around also helps keep your back and neck from feeling discomfort. It’s also recommended that those who work on digital devices be mindful of the importance of blinking — this helps keep your eyes moisturized.

You can also help minimize digital eye strain by adjusting the brightness settings on your device so that they mirror the level of brightness in your immediate surroundings. You should also adjust the text size and contrast to the settings that are easiest on your eyes — most people find that black text on a white background causes the least amount of eye strain.

Computer Glasses and Blue Light Glasses

One of the major causes of digital eye strain is the blue light that emanates from digital devices. Too much exposure to blue light has the potential to cause damage to the retina of your eyes, and in the worst-case scenario, it may lead to vision loss and blindness — recent research suggests that blue light may be a leading culprit in macular degeneration. Blue light blocking glasses contain filters that protect your eyes. Your eye doctor can also make modifications to your current eyeglass prescription to create a customized pair of computer glasses.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Rouse Family Eye Care at your convenience if you have questions or concerns about digital eye strain or any other aspect of ocular health and well-being. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, please see our online appointment scheduling portal.