Technology and Vision: How Digital Devices Impact Senior Eye Health

 If you regularly visit your ophthalmologist, you already know your eye health and vision naturally change as you get older. But did you know the tools we rely on to entertain, educate and connect with family members — such as smartphones, tablets and other digital devices — can worsen these symptoms with prolonged use? 

While digital screens make many aspects of our lives easier, they can also contribute to irritating eye strain and cause an increase in discomfort tied to preexisting conditions; continue reading to learn how these ubiquitous devices affect aging eyes and receive tips that can help you use them in a healthy way. 

Understanding Your Aging Eyes
As we’ve covered before, our eyes undergo a number of changes as we age. These changes can be relatively minor, such as difficulty seeing small details up close, needing more light by which to see or read and requiring stronger corrective-lens prescriptions as we grow older. Some of the most common conditions, which can, in turn, be inflamed by digital devices, include:

·         Presbyopia – By the time we reach 40, our eyes are slowly beginning to lose their ability to focus on nearby objects, such as newspapers, recipe cards and other items with small text. This is known as presbyopia, a gradual decrease in the flexibility of the eye's lens that can make nearby items look blurry and may cause eye strain or headaches during precise, close-up work, such as crafting and similar hobbies.

·         Dry eyes – Did you know that every time we blink, we’re spreading a new layer of tears on our eyes to keep them wet, comfortable and smooth? Known as the tear film, it is essential to helping us see clearly and maintain eye health, but as we age, our ability to produce the three layers that make up quality tears can weaken, resulting in dry eye, redness and even chronic inflammation, damage, infection or vision loss if unaddressed. 

·         Cataracts – When we’re young and healthy, the lens in our eyes is clear. But as we age, cloudy areas can form when protein cells within these lenses naturally begin to break down. As cloudy patches get larger over time, they can even make your vision blurry. Cataracts come in different types depending on where the cloudiness develops in the lens, but most people start noticing symptoms by age 60.

·         Glaucoma – The optic nerve is a vital structure at the back of each eye that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. Glaucoma is a condition often associated with high pressure within the eye, also known as intraocular pressure (IOP), due to issues with how fluid circulates and drains inside the eye. Risk for glaucoma starts climbing once you reach 40, increasing sharply upon reaching 60 years of age. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in people older than 60.

Now that you understand the underlying conditions and age-related vision changes that may be affecting your vision, or that of a loved one, let’s explore how digital devices can compound these issues.

 Your Eyes and Digital Devices
Screens are everywhere in our homes, from our phones to our e-readers and tablets. While these devices help seniors stay connected with loved ones and access important information, they can contribute to health issues when used excessively or without proper precautions. Some of the issues elders can experience include:

·         Exacerbated dry eye – As we covered earlier, many seniors struggle with dry eye as they age because of natural reductions in tear production and changes in tear-film quality. When we stare at screens, our eyes naturally blink 50%–60% less compared to normal. By blinking less, our eyes aren’t being lubricated properly and irritants, such as stray lashes or dust, aren’t removed. This can cause burning and stinging eyes, blurry vision, redness, inflammation and other irritating sensations. For seniors already dealing with these sensations, too much device use can worsen symptoms.

·         Intensified visual discomfort – When pressure is high within the eye, it can push against the optic nerve, causing the permanent damage and vision loss associated with glaucoma. But did you know early studies show a connection between prolonged screen use and a measurable, though temporary, increase in this eye pressure, especially in individuals with glaucoma? This can briefly intensify common visual issues associated with glaucoma, such as light sensitivity, blurred vision, light halos or glare and the need for more light to see. 

·         Increased glare and light sensitivity – Cataracts are associated with natural proteins in the eye’s lens breaking down and clumping together, causing a visual cloudiness that scatters light coming into the eye rather than focusing it directly into the retina. When we use bright devices, the contrast between the highly illuminated screen and our surroundings can cause starbursts, halos, glare and overall increased light sensitivity that make it difficult to see. 

·         Digital eye strain – While digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is an emerging concern among digitally obsessed youth, elderly people are also vulnerable to developing this condition. Digital eye strain is a condition associated with prolonged screen use that causes a variety of visual, eye and physical symptoms, such as blurred or double vision, light sensitivity, issues refocusing, irritated eyes, eye fatigue, headaches and neck and shoulder pain. For seniors, many of whom already deal with dry eye, difficulty focusing, strain when working up close and other issues, computer vision syndrome can worsen these symptoms and make using these devices more difficult.

Tips for Using Digital Devices Comfortably
Whether you’re a caregiver or a senior yourself, digital devices represent a world of opportunity regardless of our age, allowing us to remain connected with the people and activities we love. Instead of removing these devices out of concern for their effect on senior eyes, institute the following practices to reduce the strain and discomfort associated with their use:

·         Take regular breaks – Just like the rest of our bodies, our eyes need a break once in a while. Pause every 20 minutes to look away from the screen to refresh your eyes and reduce strain.

·         Use proper lighting – A bright screen in a dark room can irritate various eye conditions. Keep the light in your room and on the screen at equal levels to prevent glare and other vision-related issues. 

·         Increase font size – Don’t strain your eyes from reading too-small text. Digital devices offer a variety of accessibility tools that make it easy to increase text size, adjust contrast and make other beneficial changes that make reading easier. 

·         Install glare filters – Anti-glare screens for digital devices, such as computer monitors, phones and tablets, feature a special coating or film designed to scatter and diffuse direct light bouncing off windows or overhead lamps. This reduction in reflections lowers overall eye strain and can make the screens easier to see. 

By staying aware of common eye conditions affecting seniors, you can make it easier for yourself or a loved one to stay connected through digital devices. For more tips on how to preserve or improve your eye health, especially for seniors, visit healthyvisionassociation.com/articles. 

Articles in this newsletter are supposed to be informative, enlightening and helpful to you. While all information contained herein is meant to be completely factual, it is always subject to change. Articles are not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor regarding any concerns you have. 

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