Top Symptoms of Eye Strain After Long Hours in Front of Screens

It’s 2023, and screens have become an inevitable part of our lives. Whether it’s work, gaming, entertainment, or attending online meetings, most of us sit in front of a monitor for extended hours. Technology, despite all the benefits, has brought a few challenges for our health. For instance, due to the increased hours in front of the screen, it is becoming increasingly common to experience eye strain.

Symptoms of eye fatigue or eyestrain range from uncomfortable to painful and, in some cases, may even be debilitating. Unwary people don’t take eye strain symptoms seriously and pay no heed to it, not realising that it not only affects vision but also productivity and long-term eye health. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the top 10 symptoms of eye strain, why it occurs, and how a monitor (whether it’s a gaming monitor for PS5, a 22 monitor, or a folding monitor for travel) can either help or cause it.

Before we dig deep into the symptoms, you might ask what causes eye strain after hours in front of screens.

Why Do You Experience Eye Strain?

The eyes are not designed to constantly stare at near and unnatural light-emitting objects. For most of human history, we were exposed to natural light and mostly saw things at a distance, but modern life has a different set of requirements for the eyes. The ocular muscles and tear film are not accustomed to the prolonged focus and the resulting dryness caused by digital screens. This is why people experience eyestrain, which results from several combined factors such as:

• Blinking less often, which dries out the eyes.

• Exposure to short wavelengths of blue light, which causes fatigue and irregular sleep cycles.

• Constant refocusing of the eyes from text to images, graphics, and videos.

• Maintaining poor posture or using a screen that isn’t positioned optimally.

Now let’s have a closer look at the top ten symptoms of eye strain you should look out for.

1. Headaches

Headaches are one of the most common and the earliest symptoms of eye strain. When you stare at a screen for hours, whether it is a PC monitor for work or a gaming monitor for PS5 for your hobby, the eye muscles experience fatigue. This fatigue can spread and cause headaches all the way up to the temples, forehead, and the back of the head.

Headaches can become worse and more frequent if you work on a screen with too high brightness or with glare coming from somewhere on the screen. Gamers, especially ones that are fond of fast-paced graphics and action, and using a high-refresh gaming monitor for PS5, are often plagued by headaches if the brightness is not properly calibrated to their needs.

Prevention tip: If you are experiencing eye strain headaches, dim down your monitor’s brightness, and if necessary, adjust the settings of the games you play. Another helpful trick is the 20-20-20 rule (see below).

2. Blurred or Double Vision

Blurry vision is another common indicator of digital eye strain. Eye muscle fatigue often makes it difficult for the eyes to stay focussed and causes occasional blurriness, and in more serious cases, double vision.

Blurry vision after staring at a screen for long periods is a clear indicator that your eyes are in need of a break. Professionals who work long hours on a 22 monitor every day are likely to experience this symptom if they do not take enough screen-free breaks.

Prevention tip: Keep the screen at least 20–24 inches away from your face and slightly below eye level. For larger screens, adjust the height accordingly.

3. Dry Eyes and Irritation

Our blink rate decreases by nearly 50% when we look at screens, which means less tear production and faster tear evaporation. The result is an itchy, burning sensation and dry eyes. Some people even experience the feeling of sand or grit in their eyes.

Cold air from air conditioners, heaters, or fans can cause extra dryness. If you use a folding monitor to work or play in different environments, you may find that your eyes tend to be drier in certain ones. If this is the case, try to adjust the folding monitor or your position for better airflow.

Prevention tip: Use eye drops or artificial tears to keep your eyes moist and try to blink more often during computer use.

4. Sensitivity to Light (Photophobia)

Sensitivity to light, called photophobia, is another possible effect of eye strain. Staring at a computer screen for long periods can increase your sensitivity to light both from the sun and from artificial sources. So when you step outside after a long session in front of a screen, it may be extra glaring. The glare effect will be heightened for gamers who are used to bright and crisp displays and are playing with a gaming monitor for PS5.

Prevention tip: Use screen filters, and modify the monitor’s contrast and brightness to suit your room’s lighting conditions.

5. Neck, Shoulder and Back Pain

This is one of the most common symptoms associated with looking at a screen for long hours. Not only the eyes but also the rest of the body gets into a similar amount of strain. This is because of the body’s posture when looking at a screen – often looking down and forwards for prolonged hours. This can result in stiffness and soreness in the neck, shoulders, and the upper back.

For example, if someone uses a smaller 22 monitor for office work at a desk, they may try to look down and closer at the screen to read what’s on the screen. This only serves to put extra strain on the upper back and neck and cause stiffness. Stiffness in these areas will gradually cause more serious muscle strain.

Prevention tip: Keep the screen at a suitable distance and height (see below) to avoid tilting your head to look at the screen. Ergonomic chairs and desk stands can help reduce strain in other parts of the body.

6. Trouble Focusing or Concentrating

When your eyes are tired, the brain does not work in sync and find it hard to process information from the eyes. This results in people not being able to focus or concentrate on a single task. You might find that after long hours in front of a screen, you may have to reread a single line on your monitor several times for the information to sink in.

Students and professionals who have to study and consume information in detail are most affected by this symptom. It can be particularly frustrating if it occurs during an exam or while preparing for an important meeting or deadline. Gamers too can experience difficulty in maintaining focus, even with a gaming monitor for PS5, if their eyes start to get tired.

Prevention tip: Take little breaks in between tasks during your day to recover and recharge.

7. Watery Eyes

Yes, it’s true. While dry eyes are a symptom of digital eye strain, watery eyes are also a result of it. When the eyes do not blink frequently enough, this is the body’s natural response to try and relieve the irritation caused by dryness or screen glare.

So if you find that while using your 22 monitor at work or while playing a game on a gaming monitor for PS5, your eyes start watering a lot, this is a telltale sign that your eyes are overworked.

Prevention tip: If you frequently experience this, control the humidity in the rooms you use your monitor. You can also use eye drops to help relieve symptoms.

8. Difficulty Sleeping

Blue light emitted from computer screens has a high energy frequency and reduces the level of melatonin in the body. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep cycle in the body. This is why extended hours of screen time make it difficult to sleep at night or can result in poor quality sleep.

Gamers using a bright and crisp gaming monitor for PS5 late at night experience this symptom most. Office workers who use their portable folding monitor for overtime work on the move may find it hard to sleep, even after they have retired to their beds.

Prevention tip: Enable the night mode on your PC and other digital devices or use screen filters in the evening. Switch off your computer and other devices one hour before going to bed.

9. Eye Fatigue and Heaviness

Eye fatigue and a sense of heaviness in the eyelids are a direct symptom of screen time. It’s that feeling that your eyelids feel heavy, and you just can’t keep them open. It’s the body’s way of telling you that your eyes are overworked.

Many people report this after using a 22 monitor for an entire work day while people who game report it after long gaming sessions.

Prevention tip: Perform regular eye exercises to ease your eye strain. This could be as simple as rotating your eyes, focusing on distant objects at regular intervals, and palming (covering your closed eyes with your palms).

10. Reduced Visual Acuity

This is the rarest of symptoms in people who experience eye strain, but it has been noted that with long-term and chronic digital eye strain, people’s visual acuity can be affected. The eyes need recovery time to rest after an overload of strain.

In other cases, some people have noticed that their prescription changes frequently or they need to use stronger reading glasses sooner than necessary.

This is more the case for people who use low-quality monitors or screens for long hours. Investing in a high-quality screen, like a good folding monitor for work or play or a sharp 22 monitor, can help reduce eye fatigue.

In general, while these 10 symptoms of eye strain are common after long hours in front of computer screens, it is possible to prevent and avoid them. Here are some helpful ways to minimise and eliminate eye fatigue from your eyes:

• Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes of screen time, take a break and look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• Adjust screen brightness and contrast to match the ambient light in the room.

• Keep a safe distance from the screen and maintain a good posture. (Ideally, the screen should be 20–24 inches away from the eyes and slightly below eye level.)

• Apply anti-glare screen filters or use matte-finish screens.

• Optimise the quality of the monitor. For instance, choose a monitor (be it a gaming monitor for PS5, a 22 monitor, or a folding monitor for work while travelling) that’s best suited to your needs to help minimise eye strain.

• Schedule and attend regular eye check-ups.

Final Thoughts

Computer and other digital screens are here to stay, and chances are, we will spend even more hours in front of them in the coming years. Working from home is becoming more popular as technology allows us to do our jobs remotely. At the same time, new education and teaching technologies have been developed that allow us to learn, practise, and absorb information digitally. Most gaming too has become digitised, with players streaming games on high refresh rate gaming monitors for PS5 in the evenings to relax after a hard day’s work.

All this added screen time puts a lot of strain on our eyes, and we may end up feeling some or all of the above-mentioned 10 symptoms of eye strain. The best way to avoid screen time is to avoid screens, but we all know that is not possible. The best way to combat the symptoms of eye strain is to be aware of what they are and how you can prevent them.

The most common eye strain symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, dry or watery eyes, light sensitivity, neck and shoulder pain, and difficulty sleeping. By being aware of the above 10 symptoms of eye strain and taking preventative measures to rest your eyes after long hours, you can reduce your risks of developing more serious problems. While all monitors can result in digital eye strain if used for long periods, choosing the right one for your requirements (whether it is a gaming monitor for PS5, a standard 22 monitor, or a folding monitor for mobility) can help to reduce the risk.

Your eyes are your most important and precious asset, so take care of them.