{"id":10007,"date":"2026-10-05T09:49:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T07:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/?p=10007"},"modified":"2026-10-05T09:58:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T07:58:28","slug":"screens-dry-eye-eye-strain-blurred-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/eye-diseases\/screens-dry-eye-eye-strain-blurred-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Screens and Dry Eye: How to Prevent Eye Strain and Blurred Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

Screens and Dry Eye: Why Can Your Phone Make Your Eyes Sting, Burn or Become Blurry?<\/h2>\n

Mobile phones, computers and tablets are part of everyday life. After spending several hours looking at a screen, many people notice tired eyes, burning, a gritty sensation, watering or even blurred vision<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It is often assumed that these symptoms are caused by the light emitted by screens. However, the main mechanism is usually much simpler: when we look at a screen, we blink less<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What happens when we look at a screen?<\/h2>\n

Every time we blink, we spread a thin layer of tears across the surface of the eye. This tear film keeps the cornea moist and helps us see clearly.<\/p>\n

When we concentrate on reading, working on a computer or looking at our phone, our blink rate decreases and incomplete blinking may also become more frequent.<\/p>\n

As a result, tears evaporate more easily and the surface of the eye can become dry.<\/p>\n

This explains why discomfort may appear after prolonged screen use and why vision can sometimes become temporarily blurred.<\/p>\n

Do screens damage our eyes?<\/h2>\n

Prolonged screen use can cause digital eye strain and worsen dry-eye symptoms<\/strong>, but there is no evidence that light from screens used under normal conditions damages the retina.<\/p>\n

There is also no convincing evidence that special blue-light-blocking glasses prevent digital eye strain.<\/p>\n

For most people, therefore, the important issue is not protecting the retina from the screen but using digital devices in a way that reduces visual strain and ocular dryness.<\/p>\n

What can we do?<\/h2>\n

A few simple measures can make a significant difference.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Take regular breaks during screen use.<\/li>\n
  • Apply the 20-20-20 rule<\/strong>: approximately every 20 minutes, look at something around 20 feet away for 20 seconds.<\/li>\n
  • Consciously blink more often.<\/li>\n
  • Position the screen slightly below eye level.<\/li>\n
  • Avoid air conditioning or fans blowing directly towards the face.<\/li>\n
  • Use artificial tears if dry-eye symptoms are present.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    When should we see an ophthalmologist?<\/h2>\n

    If symptoms are frequent, persist despite reducing screen exposure or require constant use of artificial tears, an eye examination is advisable.<\/p>\n

    Not all dry eye is the same. Some patients have problems with the glands in their eyelids, inflammation of the ocular surface or other factors that may require specific treatment.<\/p>\n

    In summary<\/h2>\n

    Screens are part of modern life and there is no need to be afraid of them.<\/p>\n

    However, when we use them for long periods, we blink less, tears evaporate more quickly and our eyes can become dry and tired<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Regular breaks, conscious blinking and appropriate treatment of dry eye are generally much more useful than worrying about blue light from screens.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \n

    Medically Reviewed Information<\/h2>\n

    Content prepared and reviewed by Antonio Soler<\/strong>, ophthalmic surgeon and Medical Director of Soleyes Eye Clinic.<\/p>\n

    This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace an individual medical consultation. Anyone experiencing persistent symptoms, dry-eye discomfort or visual changes should undergo a comprehensive eye examination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Screens and Dry Eye: Why Can Your Phone Make Your Eyes Sting, Burn or Become Blurry? Mobile phones, computers and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eye-diseases"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10007"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10007\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10009,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10007\/revisions\/10009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}