March is Save Your Vision Month. It’s a great time to go see your eye doctor and take the necessary steps to protect your vision.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), the average American spends seven or more hours per day looking at their screens- smartphones, tablets, LED monitors, and flat-screen TVs. This overexposure to blue light – high-energy visible light emitted from digital devices – can lead to digital eye strain, sleep problems, blurred vision, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain, among other things.
During March’s Save Your Vision Month, let’s explore ways you can protect your eyes by practicing the following tips:
- Schedule an appointment for your annual eye exam and follow your doctor’s advice.
- Power down before you turn in: Turn your digital devices off at least one hour before bed.
- Unplug with the AOA 20-20-20 rule: When you are using any device or computer, make a conscious effort every day to take a 20-second break and look away from the screen, every 20 minutes, and view something 20 feet away.
- Step back: Maintain a comfortable working distance from your digital device by using the zoom feature to see small prints and details, rather than bringing the device closer to your eyes.
- Adjust your device to fit your needs: The AOA recommends reducing the glare by adjusting device settings or using a glare filter to decrease the amount of blue light reflected from the screen
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Our top priority is your lifelong healthy vision. For any questions about your eye health, please call us or text us at 407-292-9812.
Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
