. >>> ALL RIGHT.
THIS MORNING AS WE CONTINUE BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY, A PROBLEM
FACING KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE IN TODAY'S DIGITAL AGE MORE
CONNECTED THAN EVER. EXPERTS ALSO WARN ALL THAT
SCREEN TIME IS ACTUALLY AFFECTING OUR HEALTH.
>> ACCORDING TO THE VISION COUNCIL, 50% OF AMERICANS SPEND
FIVE OR MORE HOURS A DAY USING DIGITAL DEVICES.
MORE THAN 0% OF AMERICANS USE TWO OR MORE DEVICES AT ONCE.
ALL THAT SCREEN TIME IS CAUSING WHAT EXPERTS CALL DIGITAL
EYESTRAIN, A VISION RELATED PROBLEM THAT CAN LEAD TO
SYMPTOMS LIKE DRY AND IRRITATED EYES, BLURRED VISION AND
HEADACHES. IT AFFECTS 60% OF AMERICANS AND
WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS.
DIGITAL EYESTRAIN CAN BE CAUSED BY FACTORS LIKE SITTING TOO
CLOSE TO THE SCREEN, USING THE WRONG SETTINGS ON YOUR DEVICES
AND STARING AT YOUR COMPUTER AND SMARTPHONE FOR LONG PERIODS AT A
TIME. SO WHAT DO WE DO TO PREVENT AND
TREAT DIGITAL EYESTRAIN. DR. NATALIE AZAR IS BACK TO
BREAK IT DOWN. GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
THIS IS GETTING TO BE MORE AND MORE COMMON.
WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO WE TREAT IT?
>> DIGITAL EYESTRAIN OR DIGITAL TIE COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME IS
A CLUSTER OF SYMPTOMS, AS THE PIECE DESCRIBED, THAT HAS TO DO
WITH PROLONGED STARING AT DEVICES.
>> WHAT'S PROLONGED, THOUGH? >> TWO HOURS AT A TIME FOR SURE
IS CONSIDERED PROLONGED. ONE THING THAT WASN'T MENTIONED
IS ALSO NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN IN ADDITION TO THE BLURRY VISION
AND HEADACHE AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO TREAT IT AND PREVENT IT BECAUSE IT CAN
GET WORSE? >> YES.
ALSO ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BACK TO
SCHOOL, IT'S NOT JUST ADULTS, IT'S KIDS ALSO.
>> YOU HAVE TIPS FOR US. TIP NUMBER ONE.
>> TIP NUMBER ONE IS TO SEE THE EYE DOCTOR.
THE FREQUENCY AND INTERVAL YOU NEED TO GO LET'S SAY TO AN
OPTOMETRIST, OPHTHALMOLOGIST, SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DO
WITH SYMPTOMS, MEDICAL HISTORY, EYE HISTORY, THAT KIND OF THING.
THE VISION COUNCIL RECOMMENDS, THIS IS REALLY A SMART THING TO
DO. IF YOU'RE AN ADULT AND YOUR
CHILDREN USE DEVICES FREQUENTLY, DO TO THE EYE DOCTOR ONCE A YEAR
AND SAY THIS IS HOW MUCH I'M DOING, WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING.
HELP ME HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION. >> MAKE THAT PART OF IT.
>> NOT JUST DIGITAL EYESTRAIN, TOO, PICK UP OTHER EYE RELATED
ISSUES. >> TIP NUMBER TWO, ADJUST YOUR
DIGITAL HABITS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR
CHILDREN WHO ARE GOING TO BE SITTING AT ADULT COMPUTER
STATIONS. BASICALLY, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO
REMEMBER. YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN SHOULD BE
ABOUT AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY FROM YOU.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HIGH-FIVE YOUR SCREEN.
MOST PEOPLE FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE ALSO WHEN THE SCREEN
IS ABOUT 15 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW THEIR EYESIGHT SO THEY ARE NOT
LOOKING UP BUT RATHER LOOKING DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
YOU WANT TO ADJUST THE SURROUNDING LIGHT.
DIMMER LIGHTS TO AVOID THE GLARE.
IN PARTICULAR THE SCREEN, YOU CAN INCREASE THE FONT.
YOU ALSO CAN HAVE A REDUCING GLARE, SCREEN OVER THE COMPUTER
TO HELP WITH THAT. >> THE NEXT TIP MAKES A LOT OF
SENSE. TAKE BREAKS.
>> HERE IS THE THING. BASICALLY THE 20/20/20 RULE.
EVERY 20 MINUTES FOR 20 SECONDS YOU WANT TO LOOK 20 FEETS AWAY
TO ADJUST YOUR EYES AND BLINK A LOT.
ESPECIALLY AFTER TWO CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF LOOKING AT A SCREEN,
YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK FOR 15 MINUTES TO REST YOUR EYES.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING AWAY, NOT TRYING TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING.
>> NO, YOU'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING FAR AWAY SO
IT RESETS THE MESSAGING BETWEEN THE EYE AND BRAIN.
>> OKAY. FINAL TIP.
KNOW YOUR EYEWEAR OPTIONS. >> THIS REALLY, REALLY
INTERESTING. LET'S SAY YOU DON'T WEAR GLASSES
AT ALL OR CONTACTS BUT SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN FRONT OF THE
COMPUTER. YOU CAN GET SPECIFIC LENSES FOR
THE COMPUTER THAT ELIMINATE THE BLUE LIGHT, WHICH WE KNOW ISN'T
GOOD, ELIMINATE GLARE. IF YOU ARE CONTACT LENS WEARER
OR WEAR GLASSES, THEY CAN ADAPT THOSE FOR THE COMPUTER SCREEN.
>> OKAY. >> THIS IS WHERE, AGAIN, SEE THE
OPTOMETRIST. THEY TAKE A WHOLE HISTORY IN
TERMS OF WHAT YOUR COMPLAINTS ARE, WHAT YOUR EYE NEEDS ARE,
AND THEY CAN FIT YOU WITH THE PROPER EYEWEAR.
>> OKAY.