Whether it's working from a laptop, or endless scrolling through meaningless TikTok reels, we could all do with looking at our screens a little less.
And if you have been looking at screens for too long, you might be familiar with the headaches associated with them.
A doctor has shared the six things you should do if you're getting headaches from digital eye strain - or computer vision syndrome.
Yes, there's now a medical term for spending too much time sitting in front of a screen - thanks to our digitally-integrated world. Although screen time isn't the only cause of this.
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Headaches from screen time can result from prolonged exposure to blue light, poor posture and not keeping the right distance between yourself and your screen.
The symptoms most commonly include dry eyes which can in fact make the effects of digital eye strain worse.
Other symptoms include:
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Digital eye strain can cause many symptoms including blurred vision, double vision, eye fatigue, redness or itching, and neck and shoulder pain.
When you add up the time spent on your devices, including TV, phones, tablets and computers, it's no wonder so many of us end up with eye strain.
In fact, research from Boots found that around 75% of British adults say their quality of life has improved after getting glasses. Screen time has been classed as the main culprit for needing them too.
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MedicalNewsToday explained that there are six simple things you can implement in your daily life which can reduce digital strain on your eyes:
- Take regular screen breaks: Try the 20-20-20 rule in which every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for 20 seconds and focus on something 20 feet away.
- Use appropriate lighting: Make sure the lighting around you is shielded and indirect to avoid harsh glares.
- Wear glasses with a blue light filter: This can reduce the effects of blue light and eye fatigue.
- Avoid unnecessary screen exposure.
- Keep an appropriate distance: Stay about 50–100 cm from the screen and make sure it is at eye level so you don't have to look up or down at the screen.
- Minimise glare and reflections on the screen: This can be done by adjusting lighting or using anti-glare filters.
Creating a better work environment can help prevent digital eye strain and future eye health problems.