How Increased Screen Time is Making Dry Eye Worse

Has more time at home meant more screen time for you?

Does your typical day look something like this:

• Wake up and check your cell phone for WhatsApp messages, the weather, the news, your mail, your family’s Facebook posts, goofy celebrity clips on TikTok, and the latest political rants on Twitter.
• Maybe fire up your computer for that remote yoga, HIIT, or Zumba class.
• Later, hop online to look up recipes to Iron Chef a meal with whatever is in your pantry.
• Do a Zoom session to socialize with friends.
• Binge on that crazy TV show on Netflix.
• Read a novel on your Kindle just before bedtime. 

For many of us, becoming more housebound has meant becoming increasingly dependent on the internet to interact with the outside world. Unfortunately, staring at computer screens for long periods of time can take a toll on your eye health. 

At AGEI, in the past year, we’ve been seeing an increase in patients complaining of dry, irritable eyes; red, itchy eyes; a gritty feeling like having sand in your eye; the onset of mucus (eye goo); episodic blurry vision; eye strain; increased light sensitivity; and eye fatigue – all are classic symptoms of a condition known as dry eye disease. And it’s important not to ignore these symptoms because they will only get worse if left untreated.

“There’s no doubt that our digital lifestyle has played a role in the frequency of dry eye problems we’ve seen in recent years, but since the pandemic, we’ve noticed that the number of dry eye patients we’re seeing has been on the rise,” says Dr. Kerry Assil, founder of Assil Gaur Eye Institute. “We counsel our patients to monitor their daily screen time and to take breaks to give their eyes a rest.”

What is dry eye disease?

Dry eye disease (also known as dry eye syndrome) is a common condition in which you either don’t produce enough tears or the composition of your tears causes them to evaporate too quickly to give your eyes adequate lubrication. Over 16 million people in the United States are affected by dry eye, and it’s more common among women. Your chances of developing dry eye also increase with age. 

A healthy tear film is important for eye health because tears lubricate and protect your cornea (the clear part of your eye) from infection. Tears also remove debris from your eye and create a smooth surface coating that lets light focus properly, helping you see clearly.  

At first, dry eye symptoms may seem like an inconvenience and not a big deal, but if left untreated, dry eye can eventually cause corneal scarring and permanent damage that leads to vision loss.  While most dry eye is not vision-threatening, that’s no reason to blow off dry eye symptoms until they get to the point that they affect your daily life. 

What causes dry eye?

There’s no single cause of dry eye because several factors can reduce tear production. One of the main culprits is aging; your body produces fewer tears as you age. In fact, 75% of people over 65 have dry eye. Contact lens wearers tend to suffer more from dry eye, as do folks with allergies. Certain medications and medical conditions can lead to dry eye.

Also, as many folks have learned recently, spending too much time on a smartphone or sitting in front of a computer can induce dry eye symptoms. That’s because your normal blinking frequency is reduced when you stare at screens. A lower blink rate also means the tear film on the surface of your eye evaporates faster. 

Another subset of dry eye disease is called “evaporative dry eye.” In this condition, clogged oil glands in the eyelids (known as Meibomian glands) decrease the quality of tear production. The oil glands add oil to your tears to keep them from evaporating too quickly. When these Meibomian glands get blocked, they can lead to painful styes.

Environmental factors can also contribute to dry eye. Dry or windy conditions evaporate tears and dry out the eyes. Some patients recovering from LASIK surgery may also experience temporary dry eye symptoms. 

How to treat dry eye?

Fortunately, several treatment options exist for dry eye, depending on the type and severity of your symptoms. Our eye doctors have found no single best treatment for dry eyes because each patient responds differently. In fact, the eye care specialists in our Los Angeles practice say it’s not unusual for a patient to need a combination of treatment modalities to manage symptoms successfully. 

Dry eye treatments range from:

• Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops and artificial tears
• Medication for dry eyes, including anti-inflammatory eye drops (like Restasis or Xiidra) and antibiotic drops
• Lubricating ointments that you apply at bedtime
• Eyelid hygiene regimens and warm compresses to stimulate oil production
• Eye-friendly dietary supplements like Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil and flaxseed
• Minimally invasive office procedures such as intense pulsed light therapy (DELIT), removal of scurf and bacterial debris from the eyelid rim and eyelashes (BlephEx^TM), and massaging of the Meibomian glands to stimulate oil production 

Of course, we always recommend that our patients track the number of hours per day they’re using screen devices and try to limit their smartphone and computer use to reduce not only their dry eye symptoms but also digital eye strain and blue light exposure before bedtime

Learn more about DELIT intense pulsed light therapy and BlephEx^TM for dry eyes. 

Don’t ignore your dry eye symptoms!

“I wish that patients would give their eye health the same degree of attention that they do to other aspects of their health,” says Dr. Avneet Sodhi Gaur of Assil Gaur Eye Institute. “So many of the dry eye patients that we see have been suffering unnecessarily for months, if not years, from a condition that is very treatable. And every so often, we see some serious corneal damage that could have been prevented with early intervention.”

AGEI OD Dr. John May concurs, “If I could give my patients one piece of advice, it would be to not put off getting an eye exam if they’re experiencing new problems with their eyes. So many eye conditions can be easily addressed if caught early.”

AGEI: dry eye expertise serving greater Los Angeles 

The eye care professional team of ophthalmologists and optometrists at AGEI offers world-class eye care, treating dry eye conditions, cataracts, glaucoma, and a wide variety of cornea and retinal conditions, to name a few. At AGEI, you will experience a state-of-the-art health care facility that brings together revolutionary technologies with experienced vision care professionals. Our goal is to help you achieve your personal best vision. 

Please call 866-945-2745 or visit us here to make an appointment online. If you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, contact us to determine the best time to schedule an exam.

We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles.

Written by The AGEI Educational Team

The Assil Gaur Eye Institute Education Team is dedicated to providing accurate, accessible, and patient-centered eye health information to support not only our patients, but the broader community as well. Working closely with our physicians and specialists, the team helps develop educational content designed to empower patients to better understand their vision, eye conditions, treatment options, and advances in ophthalmology. Our goal is to make complex medical topics easier to understand while upholding the highest standards of clinical accuracy, trust, and patient care.

The Assil Gaur Eye Institute Education Team is dedicated to providing accurate, accessible, and patient-centered eye health information to support not only our patients, but the broader community as well. Working closely with our physicians and specialists, the team helps develop educational content designed to empower patients to better understand their vision, eye conditions, treatment options, and advances in ophthalmology. Our goal is to make complex medical topics easier to understand while upholding the highest standards of clinical accuracy, trust, and patient care.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Lindsay Harris

Dr. Harris provides comprehensive eye care examinations, treatment, and management of ocular diseases, as well as pre and post operative care for cataracts, LASIK, and corneal transplants. She specifically works with Dr. Assil in preparing pre-surgical plans for all of his intraocular lens procedures. Dr. Harris has also has assisted in numerous FDA supervised clinical trials and continuing education events.

Dr. Harris provides comprehensive eye care examinations, treatment, and management of ocular diseases, as well as pre and post operative care for cataracts, LASIK, and corneal transplants. She specifically works with Dr. Assil in preparing pre-surgical plans for all of his intraocular lens procedures. Dr. Harris has also has assisted in numerous FDA supervised clinical trials and continuing education events.