Digital Dry Eyes: Why Our Eyes Feel so Dry in front of Screens?
Why are my eyes so dry?
Our tears are so important for us to not only see clearly but is essential for protecting our eyes from infections, injury and allergies. We need to learn to re-hydrate our eyes to give the right amount of care so that we can see well and perform well at work and at play. Understanding that dry eye cans severely affect not only our comfort in front of screens but also it can affect our performance as well.
The Science Tells Us
- Our eyes blink 10-20 times per minute to rehydrate and protect the surface of our eyes. But research shows, we blink about 4-5 times per minute... less than half of that when infront of screens.
- 90% of all information captured is through our sight.
- Our eyes can focus up to 50 objects per second, which translate to over 10 billion bits of information per second streaming from our eyes to our brain.
When dry spots start to form on the eye, symptoms of dry eyes include sandy, gritty sensation along with general redness, tiredness and maybe a headache.
For gamers, blinking for a split second could mean life or death in a match. Using eye drops can help your eyes feel better for longer and prevent tired stressed eyes.
Gamer Eye Syndrome (aka Office Eye Syndrome)
- Symptoms of fatigue reduce the ability to react
- Burning and itching reduce the ability to concentrate
- In extreme cases, the problems may become chronic
- Problems with visual digital information processing
- Headaches may result from vision strain
How to 1-Up the Dry Eye Game?
Use Preservative-free, Hyaluronic acid eye drops around 0.1%-0.18% to replenish tears up to 120 minutes without causing temporary blur in vision. Re-apply drops every 120 minutes or as needed. These are compatible for those who wear contact lenses as well.