Keeping your eyes healthy often means being aware of how certain behaviors affect your vision. The way we interact with electronics has a huge impact on our eye health. At Columbia Vision Center, serving Seattle and the surrounding areas, Dr. Hua can help you deal with digital eye strain and binocular instability. Let’s look at some of the common digital eye strain myths that you may have heard about.

Having a Screen Near Your Face Will Ruin Your Eyes

This long-standing myth has been around since televisions first made an appearance in homes decades ago. Sitting too close to a screen actually does not affect your eyes. What affects your eyes with modern digital screens is the blue light that is being emitted. This blue light can affect your eyes even if you are not sitting closely. Blue light causes the eyes to work harder because the eyes do not naturally filter this sort of light. This is why spending long periods looking at a screen will make your eyes feel tired.

Watching Videos on Your Phone Will Help You Fall Asleep

Many people use their phones and devices for both entertainment and comfort. Falling asleep while scrolling social media or viewing videos has become a commonplace practice. It is so common in fact that most people need their phones to fall asleep, so they mistakenly think viewing their phone is helping them fall asleep.

The truth is, people fall asleep while viewing their phones out of habit. In fact, the blue light emitted from the screen is keeping people awake longer. Most people will fall asleep almost an hour earlier if they turn off their screens at an appropriate time. Not only will you fall asleep sooner, but you will sleep more deeply because blue light also affects how your brain continues to behave after you fall asleep. Blue light filtering glasses are a great way to combat digital eye strain and even improve your sleeping patterns.

Contact Our Optometrist in Seattle, WA

If you would like to learn more about blue light glasses or any of our eye care services, contact our eye doctor at Columbia Vision Center. Call Dr. Hua today at (206) 382-6682 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.