How Digital Lifestyles Are Drying Out Your Eyes

Image Source: MF Evelyn, Unsplash

Digital lifestyles are more prevalent than ever. From social media scrolling to fully remote work, your eyes have never been more exposed to this much screen time. As a result, the strain is increasing the dryness of your eyes, forcing you to treat the problem from multiple ends.

While the solution to step back from your screens may feel clear, actually achieving this goal (with consistency) requires a plan.

It takes a real understanding of “digital dry eyes,” ergonomics, environmental conditions, and biological factors, such as age. You also need a holistic approach that considers lifestyle modifications, natural remedies, and actual medications.

Digital Dry Eye

When you think about it, human eyes aren’t “designed” to be glued to smartphones, tablets, and computer screens.

One notable impact is the change in your eyes’ blink rates. Think of blinking as routine maintenance for your eyes. Blinking lubricates the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye, flushing away surface debris and dust.

Now, what happens when your eyes aren’t producing enough lubrication? They start to dry out, causing redness and irritation.

The quickest solution is often dry eye care medications, as they provide immediate relief by restoring moisture. However, relying solely on eye drops instead of intentional behavior modifications doesn’t fix digital dry eyes.

Prolonged fixation on digital screens is actually causing your eyes to blink less. This means your eyes aren’t naturally getting the lubrication they need, and debris lingers, increasing the risk of eye infections. In fact, according to studies from the National Library of Medicine, digital screen exposure is linked to a 68% to 70% drop in blinking frequency.

Too much screen time can also cause incomplete blinking. When your eyelids don’t touch completely, the tear film is never fully replenished. Therefore, the lower half of your eyes is even more exposed to the elements.

Tears aren’t just comprised of water, either. They also contain oily lipids to prevent instant evaporation. This oil is secreted by the meibomian glands.

Decreased blinking frequency causes these oils to become trapped in the glands, eventually thickening and leading to clogs. The result is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD).

Ergonomic Impact

The actual physical position of your device screens also plays a role in “digital dry eyes.”

For example, if your computer monitor is positioned above eye level, you’re forced to open your eyes wider to see the monitor. Not only does this cause eye strain, but your eyes are even more exposed to the air and indoor pollutants. These conditions cause tears to evaporate more quickly.

Indoor Environmental Factors

Chances are, you’re spending the majority of your digital screen time indoors. This means your eyes are more exposed to central air conditioning systems, which reduce moisture in the air. Plus, sitting directly near a vent or fan blows more air into your eyes while pulling moisture away.

Biological Factors

Digital eye strain also triggers inflammation, which disrupts the balance of mucins in your eyes. Mucins are special proteins that act as adhesives, allowing tears to stick to the surface instead of immediately rolling off.

There’s also the age factor.

Tear production naturally declines as you age. Hormonal shifts can also reduce the quality of oil glands, increasing dry eyes. Prolonged screen time just compounds these biological factors.

Relief and Recovery Strategies

Eye drops are good to have on hand since they offer immediate relief, but behavioral resets are just as important.

For instance, you could incorporate the 30-30-30 rule into your life. Suppose you have a desk job. Every 30 minutes, look away from the monitor and focus on an object 30 feet away for 30 seconds.

The 30-30-30 rule effectively forces your eyes to relax and reset their natural blink frequency. You can also practice conscious blinking by closing your eyes shut to intentionally pump the meibomian glands.

Make necessary lifestyle modifications. Install a humidifier to counteract the drying effects of air conditioning. Increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids to improve oil gland production, which strengthens the tear film in your eyes.

See Clearly Again

Daily digital screen time can make you forget about the importance of eye health. First, understand the damage of digital dry eye and compounding factors like age and indoor air quality. Keep eye drops nearby for relief, but make the lifestyle changes needed to eliminate digital eye strain.

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