Chris Bennett: Do you pass the screen test?

Are we sleepwalking into a digital device-induced eye health nightmare that the optical profession must take action on or is it just progress?

Hardly a day goes by without a new study into the prevalence of digital device use and the negative impact it is having on visual and physical comfort. The one thing these, often large, studies have in common is that they show phenomenal amounts of digital device and online usage following an inexorable upward trend.

This week Optician reports on a Hoya inspired study which looks at the issue from an eyewear perspective. It reports that 99% believe that digital devices have a negative effect on their eye health and a similarly staggering 95% report having weekly physical or optical discomfort. Sadly less than 20% have sought the help of an eye care professional.