Do you have irritated and dry eyes at the end of the day? It is a phenomenon becoming more prevalent in this day and age, so you’re not alone! The good news? There are simple, practical ways to manage the discomfort and support your eye health long-term. In this guide, we’ll break down the everyday habits, lifestyle tweaks, and supplement options that can help.

The 21^st century has seen a huge rise in average screen time as we as a population have transferred working with our bodies and hands to working on screens, which experts are now calling the “technology epidemic”. The result? Pesky dry eyes! It is currently suggested that this affects up to 87.5% of computer users[1].

Other symptoms can include fluctuating vision, tired eyes, redness, burning, foreign body sensation or excessive tearing… sound familiar?

Eye health in focus and the science of tears and moisture

Eye dryness is a common complaint, which occurs when tears can’t provide adequate lubrication due to a reduction in the quality or quantity of tears. They’re a signal that something’s off in one of your body’s most delicate systems: your tear film. Every time you blink, a thin layer of tears spreads across the surface of your eye, keeping it smooth, clear, and protected.

These tears are a complex mix of oil, water and mucus, each playing a vital role in eye health. The oil prevents evaporation, the water hydrates, and the mucus helps the tear layer stick evenly to the eye. Staring at devices increases your blue light exposure and actually decreases your blink rate by 60-80% so your nourishing oily tears are not spread over the eyes to lubricate them[2].

Dry eyes aren’t just about screens: other factors at play

Rest assured, the occurrence of dry eyes can be complex, and is not only due your high screen time! It is also common in the elderly, and it is estimated that up to 57.1% of the older Australian population have a symptom of dry eyes, although it is expected that that prevalence is much higher as many go undiagnosed[3].

Factors like dry air, allergies, wearing contact lenses, menopause, medical conditions and medications are also leading contributing factors of dry eye symptoms.

Signs that you do indeed have digital eye strain

• You spend long hours in front of screens due to work or school
• Your eyes feel sore right after screen time
• Your symptoms worsen as the day goes on

Eye health and screens tips and tricks

• Screen height
  Keep screens below eye level. This way the eyelids do not have to open as much, meaning less of the eye’s surface is exposed for prolonged periods.

• Screen position and lighting
  Avoid light reflecting off screens, be it from a lamp or a window. Excessive light forces you to concentrate harder, and therefore blink less.

• Rest periods
  Ophthalmology experts recommend implementing the 20-20-20 rule. This rule suggests individuals look at something 20 feet away (6 meters) for 20 seconds every 20 minutes of the day.

• Environmental conditions
  Avoid low humidity, high temperatures, air currents from open windows or air conditioners, tobacco smoke and excessive air freshener.

Research shows Sea Buckthorn Oil oil daily benefited individuals with dry eyes by positively influencing tear production and reducing inflammation[4].

Being in close contact with the outside environment, the eyes are naturally more prone to dryness than any other part of the body. Therefore, it’s important to maintain healthy hydration levels in the eyes every day. If this sounds like you, consider Herbs of Gold Sea Buckthorn Oil to relieve those pesky dry eyes!

References:

[1] Courtin, R., Pereira, B., Naughton, G., Chamoux, A., Chiambaretta, F., Lanhers, C., & Dutheil, F. (2016). Prevalence of dry eye disease in visual display terminal workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open, 6(1), e009675

[2] Kaur, K., Gurnani, B., Nayak, S., Deori, N., Kaur, S., Jethani, J., Singh, D., Agarkar, S., Hussaindeen, J. R., Sukhija, J., & Mishra, D. (2022). Digital Eye Strain- A Comprehensive Review. Ophthalmology and therapy, 11(5), 1655–1680.

[3] Patel, C., & Supramaniam, D. (2021). When the eyes are dry: An algorithm approach and management in general practice. Australian Journal of General Practice, 50(6), 369–376.

[4] Larmo, P. S., Jarvinen, R. L., Setala, N. L., Yang, B., Viitanen, M. H., Engblom, J. R., ... & Kallio, H. P. (2010). Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear film osmolarity and symptoms in individuals with dry eye. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(8), 1462-1468