The Digital Eye Strain Explosion The Vision Council 2015 Report Compared Digital Device use from 2012-2014 u Adult Smart Phone usage Ø 45% in 2012 Ø 69% 2014 Ø 85% 2016 KRIS KERESTAN GARBIG, O.D. KRISGARBIG@FUSE.NET u Tablet/E-reader usage Ø 26% in 2012 Ø 42.5% in 2014 Digital Device usage Digital Device Sources q 30% of all adults are High users spending 9+ hrs/day q 61% use 5+ hrs/day q 93% use at least 2 hrs/day q 77% TV q 69% Smart Phone q 58% Laptop q 52% Desktop q 43% Tablet/e-reader q 17% Video game console Very often using ALL at once Activities using Digital Devices q 38% Alarm clock q 44% Work q 43% Recreational Reading q 26% Meal Preparation/Recipes q 32% Travel/Flight/Ticketing q Operate appliances, garage doors, lights, etc. q Unlimited Apps Digital Device Impact Gen. Z (Born between 1997-2012) q Born using technology before walking q Continually Connected Snap chat, Instagram, Twitter, FB, others??? 1
AOA's 2014 American Eye-Q Survey Risks of Digital Device Usage in Children q Kids connected longer than parents think u 83% use electronic devices 3+ hrs./day Ø Only 40% of parents realize u 42% report 5+ hrs./day Ø Only 10% of parents realize u Increased Myopia Ø Prolonged Near range activities Ø Decreased exposure to Natural Outdoor light * u Long term Blue Light exposure Ø High Energy visible UV penetrates deeper into the eye Ø Macular Degeneration Ø Cataracts Kids and Digital Eye Strain The Digital Disconnect q Between 75-90% of ALL Learning is Visual! q 80% report Digital Eye Strain symptoms u Tired u Burning u Itchy u Blurred vision Millennials / Gen. Y (Born 1977-1997): Gen X (Born 1965-1976): q 37.4% spend at least nine hours on digital devices each day q 68% report symptoms of digital ey e strai n q 85% own a smartphone q 68% less likely than other generations to own a television q 57% take their smartphones to bed and use them as alarm clocks q 32% spend 9+ hours on digital devices each day q 63% report symptoms of digital eye strain q 74% report not knowing about blue light damage q 48% more likely to own tablets or e-readers 2
Boomers (Born 1946-1964): So What is Digital Eye Strain? q 26% spend 9 hours on digital devices each day q 40% say they would wear computer eyewear if an eye care provider informed them of the potential danger of blue light emitted from digital devices q 57% experience digital eye strain q 81% are more likely to own a TV compared to other age q Complex of symptoms associated with Digital device usage q 60 90% of ALLAmerican users u Eye Strain 33% u Neck, Shoulder, Back pain 33% u Headache 24% u Dry Eye 23% (Reduced Blinking) u Blurred Vision 2014 Tear Physiology Study What they don t know can hurt them! q Office workers who experience eye strain undergo physiological changes in tear fluid similar to people with dry eye disease. q Normal Blink Rate= 18X/min. q Digital use reduces blink rate by half=9x/min. q 72.5% of adults are unaware of the potential dangers of blue light to eyes q 31.9% of adults do not take any action to reduce symptoms of digital eye strain 1. Text on a Screen u Constant refocusing in front and behind screen causing blur, eyestrain and HA u Increase text size u Enhance contrast and brightness u Glare filter u Dust and keep screen cleaned 2. Excessive Usage Time u 61% usage of 5+ hrs/day resulting in dry tired eyes Ø Follow the 20/20/20 Rule (Only 14% take breaks) Ø Remind yourself to blink 3
3. Workstation Distance and Setup u Close and Intermediate range Ø Adjust distance to arms length (Palm to screen) Ø Decrease overhead and surrounding light Ø Drop screen height to just below eye level 4. Pre-existing Vision Issues u Refractive issues u Near/Intermediate correction required? u Dry Eye Ø Correct refractive issues Ø Treat Dry Eye- keep drops by computer So what is Blue Light anyway? 5. Glare and Blue Light u Reflection off walls and screens u Front and Back surface AR u Anti-Glare screen monitor u Adjust Room Lighting (Lamps vs. Overhead lights) q HEV light that appears white but has a large blue light component u Exposes the eye to hidden spikes in intensity at wavelengths within the blue portion of the spectrum. (400 to 450nm) u Emitted by digital devices and modern day lighting Blue Light Research q Cumulative and constant exposure to blue light can damage retinal cells u Age-related macular degeneration u Cataracts 4
Benefits of Blue Light? Blue Light and Sleep qcolor vision and perception qestablishes natural ci rcadi an rhythms and s leep-wake cycles in the human body by ai di ng in cogni tive functions q Frequent exposure to Blue Light at bedtime excites the brain and prevents falling into natural restorative sleep. q Blocks production of Melatonin u Alertness u Memory u Emotion Regulation SleepShield Twilight F. Lux LowBlueLights BioBrite Teenage Boy Sleep Study Blue Light and Sleep Study q 13 teens between 15-17 yrs q 1 week wearing Blue Blocking lenses between 6pm-bed q 1 week wearing Clear lenses between 6pm-bed qindividuals who reported sleep difficulty were divided into two groups who wore lenses 3 hrs prior to sleep. u Blue-blocking Amber tinted lenses u Ultraviolet blocking - Yellow-tinted lenses Conclusion: Ø Felt sleepier with Blue Blockers Ø Higher Melatonin levels (saliva samples) with Blue Blockers uparticipants who wore the blue-blocking glasses observed : u More than a 50% increase in sleep quality u 40% happier after they woke up Impact of Blue Light on Melatonin Levels Specialized Eyewear Options to consider q Actual melatonin level production was measured. u Regular sunglasses - 46% decrease in melatonin u Blue-blocking glasses - 6% increase in melatonin q How much Time is spent in front of the computer? q What other Viewing Distances are required? q What are the Ambient lighting conditions? q What is your Distance from the computer? q What type of computer work is being done? 5
Digital Lens Types q SV lenses at computer working distance q Computer Progressive- wide intermediate/near w/ limited distance q High Fitting Bifocals- wide segment made at face to computer distance q Progressives- Limited function Digital Lens TECHNOLOGY q With or Without a prescription q Different filters, lenses & materials tailored to lifestyle needs q Allow adults and children's eyes to relax, adjusting to intermediatedistance objects and reducing glare during prolonged use of digital devices q Allows for relaxation, sharper focus and reduced blurriness and pixilation, which can cause discomfort Digital Lens TREATMENTS q Traditional AR u Reduces reflection and glare from indoor and outdoor lighting sources and ghost reflections from light sources that can contribute to visual noise and distractions q Blue Blocking AR u Reduces reflection while blocking out potentially harmful HEV light at blue end of spectrum u Provencia u Duravision BlueProtect q Crizal No-Glare Lenses q Eye-Sun Protection Factor (E-SPF ) of 25 ulenses protect your eyes from harmful UV rays 25 times more than if you weren t wearing glasses at all Digital Lens TREATMENTS q Colored Filters ufilters out harmful blue and violet light uprescribed to reduce hars h office li ghti ng and balance colors. q Protection the way Nature Intended q Prevention q Protection q Performance u VA u Contrast u Night vision u Depth perception u Color perception 6
ZEISS Digital Smart Lens Clear, Relaxed Vision All Day Long ZEISS Digital Smart Lens q Provides Clear, Relaxed Vision All Day Long q Wide clear distance viewing q Digital power boost which al lows for rel axed focusing q Eyes don t have to focus and converge as they do with a traditional lens that s what fatigues the eye muscles q Great for Millennials and Generation X ers ZEISS Officelens Gunnar LENS DESIGN Puts an end to Digital Eye Strain and get clear, relaxed vision all day long. q Lens Design with Highly Wrapped Frame u Limits air currents near the eyes u Increases humidity u Prevents irritation u Enhances foc us and s harpens detail u Eases eye strain. qthe BENEFIT: ureduces Dry Eye irritation ureduces Muscular strain Gunnar LENS MATERIAL Gunnar LENS TINTS qultra light material u Eliminates distortion from impurities and haze found in inferior materials qthe BENEFIT: Stable optics that won t permanently deform when flexed or degrade over time through repeated use. Optically pure viewing experience with ultra-light, ergonomic properties that provide: Low density with lighter lenses Higher light transmission rate that enhances clarity Higher ABBE value for distortion free viewing Medium index of refraction (1.51) allows for thinner lenses q Custom lens tints u Filter blue light and block UV u Enhances contrast u Filtered spectrum replicates natural light u Minimizes visual stress qthe BENEFIT: utunes artificial blue light to enhance the physiology of the naked eye uincreases contrast perception 7
Gunnar LENS TINT Options Gunnar LENS COATINGS u Amber Tint - designed for light that comes off computer screen. Ø Enhances contrast and visual performance while minimizing screen glare and damage from blue UV. u Crystalline Tint - Coating formula designed specifically for graphic designers, video/film editors, and creative visual artists Ø Creates an equally balanced color spectrum. q Anti-reflection coating Double sided to reduce glare and reflective light to eliminate visual distraction and stress q External hard coat - provides extended lens durability and resists scratching u Non-polarized Outdoor tint c reate a more c omfortable and ric h visual experience for anyone viewing their digital devices outdoors. NOMOPHobia q Digital Addiction The irrational fear of bei ng without your mobile device (Between 50-60%) q Addicted regardless of how much damage phone time may be doing to our eyes, not to mention our relationships and psyche. q CES 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, finds Americans look at their mobile phones an average of 100 times each day (What about YOU?) Thank you for your Attention!! Now hurry and check your phones Dr. Kris Kerestan 8