{By: Dr. Priyanka Singh}
If our eyes could file a complaint, they’d probably start with: “We didn’t sign up for this much screen time.” The world may have moved to hybrid and work-from-home (WFH) setups, but our eyes haven’t. And honestly, can we blame them?
Between office calls, Netflix binges, and endless scrolling, our eyes have turned into full-time employees, working overtime on weekends, including late nights, with no holiday in sight.
ALSO READ: World Sight Day 2025: 8 Ways To Protect Your Eyes And Boost Vision Health
When Comfort Comes At A Cost
No doubt that working from home gives us comfort, flexibility, and extra time in Pyjamas, but it has also trapped us in an invisible loop of digital overload. Every morning it starts like you wake up, grab your phone, scroll through messages and notifications before you open both eyes properly. The glow of the laptop became the new sunlight. Days blurred into nights and breaks became myths. Now those, constant headaches, Itchy eyes and that weird blurry vision after 10:00 PM. That’s not just tiredness. That’s your eyes waving a white flag.
“Our eyes were never built for this much screen exposure,” explains Dr. Priyanka Singh, Consultant & Eye Surgeon, Neytra Eye Centre, New-Delhi. “We blink nearly 50% less while using digital devices, which dries out the eyes and leads to digital eye strain. Imagine your eyes as little cameras every time you stare at your laptop for too long. They are struggling to autofocus”.
Why Work From Home (WFH) Is Making It Worse?
And let’s be honest, most of us are guilty. We hunch over our screens, type in dim light, or work from bed with one eye half open and the other glued to email. WFH culture has blurred the line between work and rest, and so has the line between eye care and neglect. While offices often have ergonomically designed setups and controlled lighting, home workstations are rarely eye-friendly. The result? Dry eyes, itching, redness, burning sensation and even allergies. Prolonged exposure increases the risk of eye infections and myopia (nearsightedness ). Dr. Priyanka said, “It’s not just work hours. It’s also the after-hours doomscrolling, the late-night Netflix “One more episode” and the morning news on your phone before you even brush your teeth. Your eyes barely get a moment of real rest”. Doctors are now calling this modern epidemic of Digital Eye Strain, or Computer Vision Syndrome, not just a buzzword. It’s a real condition caused by increased screen time which has grown rapidly in recent years with the rise of remote work.
Giving Your Eyes The Break They Deserve
The good news is you don’t need fancy eye drops or expensive gadgets to fix this. Sometimes, small and mindful steps are enough. Doctors suggest the 20-20-20 rule, sitting at arm’s length away from your screen, matching screen brightness to your room lighting, using anti-glare glasses and most importantly, giving your eyes a real break, not a scrolling break.
As World Sight Day rolls around, maybe it’s time that we pause the next reel, minimise that tab and listen to what our eyes have been trying to say for months.
The author, Dr. Priyanka Singh, is a Consultant and Eye Surgeon, at Neytra Eye Centre.
[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]
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