Digital eye strain

A review of its causes, prevention and management 

Summary:

Sajjad Abbas, Chan Ning Lee, Munazzah Chou, Priya Udani and Timothy Jackson explain the various disorders that constitute digital eye strain – sometimes known as ‘computer vision syndrome’. They explain how it relates to the workplace and how it can be prevented and managed. 

Digital screens have become a ubiquitous part of modern life. From smartphones, to TVs, to computer monitors, screens allow us to visually interact with the digital space for communication, work and leisure. The Office of Communications (Ofcom) estimates that in 2020 UK adults spent an average of five hours 40 minutes a day viewing audio-visual content^1, an increase of 13% from 2018², while UK children between the ages of four and 15 years watched approximately four hours a day³.

Following the changes accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing digitisation of work and the rise of work-from-home and virtual meetings, virtual classes, gaming, and social media… 

 

Sajjad Abbas is a senior clinical fellow in vitreoretinal surgery at King’s College Hospital, London.  

Chan Ning Lee is a retinal clinical research fellow affiliated with King’s College London.  

Munazzah Chou is a senior ophthalmology registrar at King’s College Hospital, London.  

Priya Udani is a senior ophthalmology registrar at King’s College Hospital, London.  

Timothy L Jackson is professor of retinal research and consultant ophthalmic surgeon at King’s College London and King’s College Hospital, London. 

Author: Abbas S, Lee CN, Chou M, Udani P, Jackson T

Tags eyesight

Occupational Health at Work December/January 2022/2023 (vol. 19/4) pp21-28

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