Tips For Reducing Digital Eye Strain
Neurolenses can offer so much more relief than traditional glasses prescriptions.
Neurolens is a new innovative technology used in glasses prescriptions to alleviate symptoms of Digital Eye Strain (DES) or Digital Vision Syndrome (DVS). On average, adults spend 7 hours a day looking at digital screens. The increased time we all spend in front of these devices can lead to symptoms like headaches, eye fatigue, eye strain, dry eyes, neck pain, light sensitivity and even motion sickness. Out of necessity, Neurolens was developed to curate a glasses lens design for the individual and relieve symptoms unlike anything ever before.
What is Neurolens Correcting?
The symptoms of DVS can often be attributed to small undetected misalignments between the eyes. Normally the eyes work in tandem. They must align with each other to avoid creating visual problems such as double vision. Correct alignment when viewing distant objects means the eyes are aligned in parallel with each other. Correct alignment for viewing near objects, such as digital devices, requires the eyes to converge and accommodate focus. If the two eyes’ rate of convergence is not in perfect sync with their accommodative focus it can create a small inherent misalignment requiring extra strain to compensate. For short periods of time, this strain may be so mild it’s unnoticed and asymptomatic. For longer periods, the strain becomes more taxing and manifests as symptoms of DVS. Neurolens facilitates a proper rate of accommodation and convergence of the eyes caused by a small misalignment.
How does extended screen time lead to DVS symptoms?
Associating extended screen time with neck pain or motion sickness may not be as obvious as light sensitivity, afternoon headaches, eye fatigue or dry eyes. Neck and shoulder pain can originate from over stimulation of sensory nerves, the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, while straining to maintain eye alignment and then radiate to the neck and shoulders. Motion sickness is hypothesized to stem from a conflict between multiple neural systems; the proprioceptive input from the eyes can be inconsistent with afferent input of straining eye muscles and neck position leading to dizziness or nausea. The truth is, DVS symptoms can be tricky and ambiguous but have such an impact that they become quality-of-life problems for many people without realizing it.
How does Neurolens Work?
Neurolens utilizes contoured prism in its design. This means that as the eyes shift their gaze up and down through different portions of the lens to view distant and near objects, the image is shifted in the direction of the eye’s natural alignment. Consequently, the ratio of accommodative focus and convergence between the eyes is synced to an appropriate rate thus alleviating symptoms of DVS.
At Mountain Brook Eye Care we have the Neurolens Measurement Device, Generation 2 (NMD2). It has the ability to measure the smallest eye misalignments of the eyes. These measurements are included with every routine comprehensive eye exam. Please, if you are suffering from symptoms of Digital Vision Syndrome or Digital Eye Strain, schedule an appointment so we can determine if Neurolens is right for you.
Dr. Jeremy Edgerly
Dr. Edgerly has been actively practicing optometry since 2012 in a family practice setting. He is confident in his ability to accurately diagnose, treat and manage conditions of the eye and local structures. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and earned a Bachelor of Science. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, he enrolled in the UAB School of Optometry, where he earned a Doctorate in Optometry. There, he received specialized training in ocular diseases, contact lenses, pediatrics, and refractive and cataract surgery co-management.