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Give Your Eyes a Break: Smart Screen Habits
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Contributor
21 Jun 2025
Screens have become an unavoidable part of modern life, from the moment we wake up to when we fall asleep. Whether it’s for work, entertainment, or staying connected, our eyes are constantly focused on some kind of digital display. While the convenience is undeniable, this habit comes at a cost—our vision. Eye fatigue, dry eyes, blurred vision, and even poor sleep are just a few of the symptoms tied to prolonged screen use. Fortunately, developing a few smart habits can help protect your eyes and support long-term visual health.

Understand the Impact of Digital Eye Strain
Digital eye strain, sometimes referred to as computer vision syndrome, is a condition affecting people who spend extended time staring at screens. It manifests through symptoms like tired eyes, headaches, double vision, and difficulty refocusing. According to the American Optometric Association, over 50% of people who work on computers report experiencing eye strain symptoms daily.
What makes screen time so taxing is the constant effort your eyes exert to focus on pixelated images, adjust to glare, and accommodate different lighting conditions. Moreover, multitasking between various screen types—smartphones, tablets, laptops—intensifies this strain. Our eyes were never meant to maintain near-focus for hours on end, and without intervention, the effects accumulate.
Practice the 20-20-20 Rule
One of the simplest and most effective practices to reduce screen-induced fatigue is the 20-20-20 rule. It works like this: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away. This practice forces your eyes to shift focus and relax from the constant tension of near vision work.
Incorporating this habit into your workday is easier than it sounds. Set recurring timers, use break-reminder apps, or even pair it with tasks like sipping water or stretching. Over time, this rule trains your eyes to reset, alleviating both short-term discomfort and long-term fatigue. Users who apply this rule consistently report noticeable improvements in concentration and reduced tension behind the eyes.
Optimize Lighting in Your Environment
Lighting plays a crucial role in either minimizing or exacerbating eye strain. If your screen is significantly brighter or dimmer than the room around it, your eyes are constantly adjusting to the imbalance. This dynamic puts extra pressure on your visual system.
To prevent this, aim for ambient lighting that closely matches your screen’s brightness. Use desk lamps with soft, indirect light rather than overhead fluorescent bulbs that can create harsh shadows. Also, be cautious about screen glare from windows or glossy surfaces—position your workspace to avoid reflections, and consider using matte screen protectors. The more balanced your visual environment, the less your eyes will have to fight to see comfortably.
Adjust Your Screen Setup for Comfort
Ergonomics isn’t just for your back and neck; it matters for your eyes too. The ideal screen setup starts with positioning your monitor about an arm’s length away. The center of the screen should sit approximately 4 to 5 inches below eye level, creating a gentle downward gaze that puts less strain on your ocular muscles.
Text size and contrast settings also deserve attention. Avoid squinting by enlarging the font and increasing contrast to ease readability. Bright screens displaying low-contrast text (e.g., gray on white) strain your vision unnecessarily. High-resolution displays that render sharp, clean visuals can further reduce the effort your eyes exert to interpret content.
Limit Blue Light Exposure, Especially at Night
Exposure to blue light—especially during evening hours—disrupts the body’s natural production of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep. Extended screen time before bed can delay sleep onset, reduce sleep quality, and even cause long-term disruptions to circadian rhythms.
To mitigate this, use device settings or apps that reduce blue light after sunset. Many devices offer built-in night modes that shift the screen’s color temperature to warmer tones. Another effective solution is wearing evening screen glasses for healthier vision, which are specially designed to filter out harmful blue wavelengths. These glasses not only reduce eye strain during nighttime screen use but also support a more restful sleep cycle. People who use them consistently often report falling asleep faster and waking up with less ocular fatigue.
Schedule Regular Eye Exams
Routine eye exams are more than just a check on vision—they’re a proactive measure against digital eye strain. An optometrist can detect early signs of screen-induced stress and offer targeted solutions, including blue-light-filtering coatings or computer-specific lenses.
Even if you have perfect vision, regular exams are essential. People often don’t realize their symptoms—like headaches or blurred vision—are tied to visual strain until they’re examined. Personalized recommendations based on your screen habits can make a significant difference in comfort and performance. In some cases, small prescription adjustments or anti-reflective lens coatings can alleviate major discomfort.
Practice Eye Exercises Throughout the Day
Just as we stretch our legs after sitting, our eyes benefit from movement and exercise. Simple activities like rolling your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise, or shifting your focus between a nearby object and a distant one, help strengthen the eye muscles and improve flexibility.
Another critical but often ignored habit is blinking. On average, we blink 15 to 20 times per minute. However, during screen time, this can drop to just 5 to 7 times. Infrequent blinking leads to dry, irritated eyes. By making a conscious effort to blink fully and frequently—especially when reading or watching videos—you maintain the natural moisture balance necessary for comfort and clarity.
Reduce Multitasking Between Devices
Multitasking may boost productivity in theory, but it places a massive burden on your vision. Every time you switch from a computer monitor to a smartphone or tablet, your eyes must refocus, recalibrate to new lighting, and adjust to different contrast settings. These constant shifts add up, leading to visual fatigue and concentration lapses.
To reduce this strain, organize your digital tasks into blocks. Handle email on your laptop in one dedicated session, check your phone messages in another, and reserve tablet use for relaxed activities. By limiting the frequency of transitions, your eyes have fewer interruptions, helping preserve energy and sharpness throughout the day.
Take Tech-Free Breaks During the Day
True rest for the eyes comes not from switching screens but from turning them off altogether. Integrate at least one or two 15–30 minute tech-free breaks during your day. Use this time to take a walk outside, do some light stretching, prepare a meal, or simply sit in a quiet, screenless space.
Disconnecting gives your eyes a complete reset. Natural light and distance vision offer a refreshing contrast to the near-constant close-up focus of screens. According to the Vision Council, individuals who include tech-free breaks in their routines experience less end-of-day strain and report better visual comfort overall.
Prioritize Sleep-Friendly Screen Habits
Late-night scrolling is a visual health trap. Not only does it delay sleep, but it also extends your exposure to artificial light at a time when your body should be winding down. Establish a routine that gradually reduces screen use one to two hours before bed. Replace screens with calming activities like journaling, reading a physical book, or meditative breathing.
If work or life requires screen time at night, dim your devices to the lowest comfortable brightness and enable night shift modes. Consider using blue-light-blocking filters or glasses to reduce interference with sleep hormones. By syncing your digital habits with your body’s sleep rhythms, you support not just better rest, but healthier vision long term.

Smart screen habits aren’t difficult to implement, but they do require intention. By making small but impactful changes—like adjusting lighting, wearing protective glasses, and taking regular breaks—you can significantly reduce the toll of screen time on your vision. These mindful habits lead not only to healthier eyes but to a more balanced and comfortable daily experience.
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Citiesabc is a digital transformation platform dedicated to empowering, guiding, and indexing cities worldwide. Established by a team of global industry leaders, academics, and experts, it offers innovative solutions, comprehensive lists, rankings, and connections for the world's top cities and their populations