Cell Phone Eye Strain: What You Need To Know

With the increased amount of time people are spending on their phones, more and more instances of eye strain are occurring. While communication and gaining information from cell phones is an important part of daily life, it is also crucial to recognize the symptoms of eyestrain and know how you can deal with it.

Symptoms of Cell Phone Eye Strain

There are a variety of symptoms of eyestrain caused by looking at your cell phone. The most noticeable are headaches. You will also have some aching and burning sensations behind your eyes. Your eyes may feel dry and be sensitive to bright light. You may also experience some blurring or double vision.

How To Prevent Cell Phone Eye Strain

Many people using cell phones hold them very close to the face. This causes your eyes to work much harder than they are used to. They are working hard to recognize and position the eyes on the text or images you are looking at. To help with this issue, hold your phone several inches from your face directly across from your head. Avoid looking down into your lap when looking at your phone. This can cause your neck to become still, contributing to your overall pain caused by using a cell phone.

You should also carefully follow the 10-10-10 rule. This is a simple rule is easy to remember and implement into your daily life. It refers to using intervals of ten to relieve your eye pain. Take a break every ten minutes. Focus on an object that is ten feet away for ten seconds. This will help reset your eyes and help prevent getting a headache.

How To Heal Cell Phone Eye Strain

One of the best ways to heal cell phone eye strain is to not use your phone as often. If you do not have any issues pending that require the use of your phone, be sure to put it away for an extended period of time each day.

Another thing you can try is applying eye drops or artificial tears if you intend on looking at the phone for more than half an hour at a time. You can also blink your eyes frequently to break up the intense focus your eyes have on the screen. Massaging your temples can also help provide some relief.

If you continue to have eye strain headaches from using your cell phone, you should see an eye doctor like those at Mid-America Vision Center. You may need to utilize some over-the-counter pain medication in addition to other therapies provided by your doctor.


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