Digital screen use linked to rising rates of visual fatigue

A study by the association Visión y Vida indicates that 21.7% of residents in Castilla y León, Spain, suffer from visual fatigue due to screen use, a figure that exceeds the national average of 19.7%. The report, titled “How screens influence visual health,” notes that 31.1% of people in the region use computers or tablets for five or more hours daily, while 10.4% spend the same amount of time on mobile phones.

Ophthalmologist Dr. María Luque warns that prolonged use of digital devices is causing a global increase in Ocular Fatigue Syndrome. She notes that individuals blink up to 50% less when looking at screens, which reduces natural lubrication and leads to dryness, irritation, and blurred vision. Common symptoms include eye heaviness, tension headaches, light sensitivity, and chronic dry eye.

To mitigate these effects, experts recommend the “20-20-20 rule”: every 20 minutes of digital work, look at an object approximately 20 feet (6 meters) away for at least 20 seconds to relax the ocular muscles.