With digital screens now a constant presence in daily life—from workstations and mobile phones to televisions and tablets—many people experience a common form of discomfort: eye fatigue. Often described as a feeling of tired, sore or blurry eyes after prolonged use of screens, digital eye strain has become more noticeable as screen time increases. Whether you’re working remotely, studying online or simply browsing, it’s easy to overlook how digital engagement affects visual comfort.
In this blog, we’ll explore practical and informed ways to reduce eye fatigue in the digital era, with insights into how an ophthalmology clinic on the Gold Coast might assist in managing symptoms linked to screen use.
Understand What Eye Fatigue Really Is
Eye fatigue is a temporary discomfort caused by intense visual tasks. Digital screens require sustained focus and can reduce blinking rates, making symptoms more likely to appear. While the condition isn’t considered serious in most cases, it may impact your day-to-day comfort.
Common contributing factors may include:
- Prolonged focus on close-up content, such as text or screens
- Brightness and glare from unadjusted displays
- Reduced blink rate during concentrated screen tasks
- Suboptimal ambient lighting in workspaces
Discussing these symptoms with an eye care provider can help identify patterns and assess your visual setup. While eye fatigue can usually be managed with simple changes, tracking the frequency and duration of symptoms is useful.
Recognise the Symptoms Before They Escalate
Digital eye fatigue may start mildly but can increase in intensity with extended screen exposure. Recognising early signs helps to reduce further strain and discomfort. These symptoms may not always be immediately associated with visual use, so awareness is helpful.
Symptoms commonly associated with digital eye fatigue include:
- Blurry or double vision during or after screen time
- Sensation of dryness or scratchiness in the eyes
- A heavy or aching feeling behind the eyes
- Sensitivity to light, especially in the afternoon or evening
- Difficulty maintaining focus after long visual tasks
- Tension in the forehead, neck or shoulders
If these symptoms become regular, it may be worth seeking advice from an ophthalmologist on the Gold Coast. They can help evaluate whether digital use contributes and explore options for comfort.
Manage Your Screen Time More Mindfully
Sustained screen use without breaks can contribute to discomfort, even if your vision is typically clear. A simple yet widely recommended guideline is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This shift in focus allows the eye muscles to rest briefly.
Other helpful approaches may include:
- Scheduling short, regular breaks away from digital devices
- Setting reminders or using apps that prompt rest intervals
- Alternating between screen and non-screen tasks when possible
- Avoiding device use during meal times or just before sleep
These techniques can become part of a healthy routine, helping reduce visual fatigue and allowing your eyes time to recover.
Position Your Screen for Optimal Eye Comfort
The physical layout of your workstation plays a significant role in visual comfort. Poor screen placement can strain the neck, shoulders and eyes, especially during long periods of use. Adjusting screen distance and angle may help reduce muscle tension and improve visual posture.
Here are a few common considerations:
- Place the screen approximately an arm’s length away from your eyes
- Position the top of the screen slightly below eye level
- Tilt the screen back slightly to reduce overhead glare
- Use blinds or curtains to diffuse natural light across your workspace
- Avoid overhead fluorescent lights that reflect on glossy screens
If eye fatigue persists despite setup changes, discussing your workspace with an ophthalmology clinic can provide helpful insight into ergonomic adjustments.
Adjust Device Settings to Be Eye-Friendly
Modern digital devices offer several built-in settings that can reduce visual strain. Adjusting these settings may improve comfort without affecting how you use the device.
Settings that may ease digital strain include:
- Reducing screen brightness to match the ambient room light
- Increasing font size to avoid squinting
- Enabling “dark mode” or “night shift” settings for lower contrast
- Using matte screen protectors to reduce glare
- Activating blue light filters during evening use
These small adjustments can make a noticeable difference in how your eyes feel during and after screen tasks.
Choose the Right Eyewear for Digital Use
Some people may benefit from eyewear specifically designed for digital viewing, particularly if they spend multiple hours on screens daily. Digital-specific lenses can help reduce glare and may support intermediate vision ranges used for computer work.
Possible eyewear options include:
- Non-prescription blue-light filtering lenses for screen users without visual correction needs
- Prescription lenses with anti-reflective coating for those requiring visual support
- Glasses designed for intermediate viewing distances, often referred to as computer glasses
- Lenses that incorporate tints or coatings to reduce specific types of screen glare
Discussing visual tasks and screen usage with a qualified eye care provider before selecting specialised eyewear is helpful.
Maintain Regular Eye Appointments for Monitoring
Routine eye examinations can help identify visual stress or signs of fatigue related to digital use. These appointments offer an opportunity to discuss daily habits and make adjustments tailored to your lifestyle.
Reasons to maintain regular eye assessments include:
- Tracking visual changes that may contribute to fatigue
- Receiving recommendations for reading or screen-specific prescriptions
- Discussing dry eye symptoms or screen sensitivity
- Learning about visual habits that can reduce strain during close-up tasks
For those using screens extensively, even occasional appointments can provide useful insights into comfort and preventative strategies.
Visit Our Ophthalmology Clinic on the Gold Coast for an Eye Health Check
If you experience eye discomfort after screen use or are unsure about your visual habits, it may help to speak with a team that understands how vision and lifestyle interact.
At Pacific Eye Clinic, we work with individuals to assess vision and offer insights tailored to their screen time, workplace setup and visual needs. Our consultations allow for discussion around digital eye fatigue and what practical measures might help in your specific case. Give us a call or contact us via our website to arrange an appointment or learn more about how we can support your comfort and visual clarity in a screen-heavy world.
Author
Dr Marc Wei
Dr. Marc Wei is the principal specialist laser and cataract surgeon at Pacific Eye Clinic in Southport on the Gold Coast. He has 20 years of trusted experience in advanced laser cataract surgery and has completed more than 15,000 procedures over the course of his career.
