Extended screen time is reducing the normal blink rate by 60%, contributing to dry eye syndrome, a doctor has said following office workers reporting concerns over screen time-related health issues.
A recent poll of 2,000 UK professionals found Brits typically spent an hour and 28 minutes at their screens before taking a break. When they finally took time away from a monitor, breaks lasted less than 10 minutes on average and some desk workers went as long as two and a half hours before stepping away from their computers and other devices.
Commenting on the poll, commissioned by Philips LED lighting, UK TV medic Dr Hilary Jones said, “The normal blink rate is 10 to 15 times per minute, but this is 60% reduced when looking at computer screens and the most common of all eye disorders is dry eye syndrome which is very much on the increase.”
Staring at computer screens for prolonged periods was having a detrimental effect on their health, seven in ten participants told researchers. After spending a total of 11 hours a day staring at computer, mobile phone and TV screens, half of the participants said they suffered from eye strain. More than a third also reported suffering from dry eyes or neck-related aches while two thirds said they got headaches and migraines at least twice a week because of their working day.
