Effects of Blue Light

Ultraviolet and short wavelength light from the sun is at a significantly much higher concentration than light from a computer screen. Blue Light is therefore not likely to cause damage to the eye, but that does not mean it’s innocuous.

Blue light interacts with and suppresses melatonin, which can interfere with our circadian sleep cycles. There is no clear evidence showing blue blocking lenses have any benefit, but there are many accounts of patients using blue blocking lenses and feeling less strain and stress on the eyes, especially when on their digital gadgets.

There is however growing evidence that an increase in screen time can be harmful to physical cognitive and social development in children and is linked with worse psychological well-being.

However, there certainly are benefits also for being on screen time. In young children, programming often viewed on screens can help improve literacy skills, numeracy skills, and social skills. In older children, programming can improve critical thinking. In teens, it can improve reading, writing, social connections and political and social awareness that can help instill personal values, create new creative forms and promote self expression. Since the use of electronic gadgets and digital devices is continuing to grow we can certainly make it a better experience.

A good thing to practice is applying the 20/20/20 rule, so you take a 20 second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes. This approach will give you a chance to periodically blink and to relax your binocular vision system. Also by adding high-quality artificial teardrops with a lipid component, along with practicing the 20 /20/20 rule may provide additional relief by fortifying the eyes natural tears to stave off evaporation. 

I frequently suggest to my patients to keep the bedroom as a “no electronics zone”. If you must have screen time before bedtime I stress the need to dim your screen either manually or through a filter. As a guideline for children age 2 to 5, screen time should be limited to one hour per day. In children age 6 and older there should be consistent limits on time spent and type of media exposure. I enjoy consulting my patients and ensuring they have the most accurate information. Their focus is my focus too! 

For more information, find us at Focus Vision Care in Staten Island, New York 10314. You can reach us at focusvisioncare.com or focusvisioncareinc@gmail.com. 

Credits: Review of Optometry. Jan 15, 2021. 

NJSOP : Eye on New Jersey, Winter 2020.

Digital Screen Overload

Reflecting on the effects of our lives during this pandemic, one thing is clear: our screen time has increased. Whether it’s for learning, education, entertainment or even to stay connected to the outer world. More people have complaints of visual discomfort from computers and other digital devices.

Digital strain or the “Computer Vision syndrome” commonly occurs when the visual demand of prolonged screen time causes symptoms of eyestrain, headache, blurred vision and eye irritation.

Because of convergence and accommodate function put at excessive demand, many people also suffer from headaches.

Additionally, blink rate drops from 12 blinks per minute to 6 blinks per minute during work near the computer. This reduction in blinks can cause the tears to evaporate leading to dry eyes.

By the way, this digital screen overload is not only experienced by you, but also by your kids.

As many companies have increased work from home and online school, millions of Americans have also suffered from computer vision syndrome or digital eye strain because of prolonged hours of looking at the screen. The symptoms can vary from irritation, redness, dryness, blurry vision, double vision, back pain, neck stiffness, eyestrain, watering, and headaches. 

Our mission at Focus Vision Care, in the changing scenario is, to help by doing our part as educating visual hygiene and providing the right tools to perform comfortably. When patients see a remarkable difference in their symptoms, they thank us for guiding them on selecting vision care products.

Our role in this is to be an eye care provider that works with you. We would suggest the first step of any intervention plan is to ensure that you have accurate, up-to-date spectacle and contact lens prescriptions. Regular annual exams can achieve this. If you’re in the Staten Island, New York area, our office is open! To evaluate for your contributing factors, we offer a full visual evaluation. We even do binocular and oculomotor function tests and assess ocular surface health during a comprehensive examination.

For more information, find us at Focus Vision Care in Staten Island, New York 10314. Contact us for an appointment : https://www.focusvisioncare.com/contact or email us at: focusvisioncareinc@gmail.com. 

Credits: Review of Optometry. Jan 15, 2021. 

NJSOP : Eye on New Jersey, Winter 2020.

Introducing the first blog post of Focus Visioncare!

Greetings Staten Island:

Welcome to the latest update from Focus Visioncare; a blog that will feature the latest updates in the world of Eyewear. Stay tuned for more!