A large percentage of Americans dedicate a large percentage of their days to being online. If you are at a computer for many hours a day, then you might be doing some disservice to your eyes, even if you don't already wear corrective lenses of any kind.
Eye fatigue is a real thing, and while it's unproven whether a blue screen makes your vision worse or not, you may still need to see the eye doctor if you spend a lot of your time on the computer every day. Here are signs you need to visit your optometrist when you're at a computer much of the day.
Your eyes are dry and irritated
Do your eyes feel dry and irritated much of the time, like you have grit or sand in them? If so, then you may be suffering from dry eye, which can be caused by regular exposure to your computer screen. See your optometrist to make sure that your vision is in check and that you aren't suffering from chronic dry eye due to the stress of staring at screens all day. You can also opt for more natural light to make working at your computer easier, and you can try turning down the brightness on your computer screen.
If you do have dry eye due to computer screens, then your optometrist can prescribe you eye drops to help keep your eyes moist. Let your optometrist know if you have red eyes in addition to the irritation so they can address all potential problems with your eyes.
Your eyes are hard to focus
Your eyes should be able to focus well on your tasks. If you have to sit super close to your computer to focus, have difficulty moving your eyes from one object to another, or even have double vision of sorts, then see your optometrist to see if your vision changes are more related to your eyesight in general than to your computer use. Odds are high that the problems you're having with your eyes are related to both things, and your optometrist can help.
It's wise to take some time away from your computer periodically throughout the day to give your eyes a rest. This way, you can hopefully keep some of your eye discomfort at bay and you'll be able to be more productive at work, play, or school — whatever you do when you're online. Make your optometrist appointments a regular thing so you always keep your eye health in check.
To learn more, contact an optometrist.
There are a number of medical professionals who you should be seeing on a regular basis, but one that tends to be forgotten about is the optometrist. Even if you do not have trouble seeing clearly, it's a good idea to get an eye exam every year or two, just to ensure nothing is amiss. After all, optometrists do more than prescribe glasses. They can also diagnose conditions like glaucoma and cataracts, which are easier to manage when detected early.
If you would like to learn a little more about what happens when you see the optometrist and why this is so important, read the articles on this website. They're all dedicated to optometry and eye health.