Take a guess: How many hours of screen time do you log each day? Four, five, maybe even six?

One in three people in the U.S. rack up seven or more hours of digital exposure each day and the eyestrain that goes with it! When you combine time spent on social media, internet surfing, gaming, videos, movies, and work, it can quickly add up to a whopping amount of screen time — and it’s not healthy for your eyes.

March is Save Your Vision Month, an annual observance started by the American Optometric Association in 1927 (yes, 99 years ago!) to promote preventive practices that help you maintain healthy eyes for the long haul. Some of the recommendations include annual eye exams, wearing sunglasses daily to prevent UV damage, eating right, maintaining overall health, and reducing screen time to minimize digital eye strain.

In 2026, it can seem “normal” to spend hours and hours staring intently at a screen, but that doesn’t make it harmless. Digital eye strain won’t permanently damage your eyes but it can certainly make them feel itchy, painful, or uncomfortable. Digital eye strain is intensified by factors such as poor lighting, glare, reduced blinking and improper screen positioning.

Digital eye strain makes your eyes work harder than usual to focus on the device and cause eye-related issues including:

1. Blurred vision
2. Stinging or teary eyes
3. Neck and back pain
4. Dry eyes
5. Headaches
6. Sensation of a foreign body in the eye
7. Double vision
8. Sensitivity to light
9. Itchy eyes
10. Difficulty refocusing after prolonged computer work

Mild to severe symptoms can occur after as little as two hours of screen time, and can impact your quality of life.

How to Reduce Digital Eye Strain

Following are some simple habits to incorporate that can help ease eye strain:

• Blink! Just blink. Studies show that you blink significantly less when staring at a screen. People normally blink about 15 times a minute but when using a digital device, that number is reduced by more than half – and you blink only 5 to 7 times per minute. Blinking keeps the surface of the eye lubricated and helps prevent dry, gritty-feeling eyes. Consider putting a sticky note on your computer to remind you to blink … as a good “visual” reminder!
• Use artificial tears. Refresh your eyes with artificial tears you can buy over the counter at most drugstores. Artificial tears are especially important if you work in a warm, dry room. Your optometrist can recommend the right brand or type for you.
• Take a break. Step away from your device for 15 minutes after 2 hours of use.
• Follow the 20-20-20 Rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. That small break gives your eyes a welcome rest from focusing on a digital screen.
• Angle computer monitors downward. Place your monitor about 15-20 degrees below eye level and about 20 to 28 inches away from your eyes – about an arm’s length.
• Adjust brightness and contrast. Increase the contrast on your screen and adjust the brightness to match the level of light around you.
• Change font size. A clearly legible font of at least size 12 in a dark color against a light background is the easiest on your eyes.
• Reduce glare. A matte screen filter can cut the glare from your device. Another tip: Use a desk lamp to lessen overhead light glare.
• Wear computer glasses. Computer glasses are prescription glasses that allow you to focus your eyes specifically at computer screen distance – about 20-28 inches from your face. Computer glasses can also include multifocal lenses to help you shift quickly from close to intermediate to distance vision.

Contact Lens Users and Digital Device Use

People who wear contact lenses face a different set of issues when dealing with digital eye strain. Following are some tips that can help contact lens wearers minimize eye strain symptoms:

• Take a break from contacts. Wear your eyeglasses one or two days a week to minimize symptoms of eye strain – particularly if you know you’ll be spending an unusually long time looking at a screen due to a project deadline or big presentation.
• Don’t sleep in your contacts. Even if your contacts are labeled “extended wear,” sleeping in them adds to the burden on your eyes. Let your eyes rest and recover naturally from the day’s stress while you sleep.
• Always use good contact lens hygiene. If you wear extended lenses, use fresh solution to store them and gently “rub” them when cleaning. Think of it like a shower: You don’t just stand under the water – you actively wash away the dirt and oil. If you wear daily lenses, do just that. Wear them for one day, toss them, and use a new pair the next day.

It’s clear that digital screens and the eye strain they cause aren’t going away anytime soon. To save your healthy vision, adopt these practical and preventive behaviors that will improve your vision-related quality of life. Start by incorporating one or two of the tips above, then keep adding good vision habits over the coming weeks.

If digital eye strain is impacting your quality of life, your work, or your schoolwork, we can help. Contact us today to book your appointment; we will help you combat the symptoms of digital eye strain and give you a healthier outlook on life!