Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Doctor Shares Ways to Prevent Screen-Related Dry Eyes
Looking at a screen for a long time can make people blink less.
Blinking spreads tears over the eye, so fewer or incomplete blinks can let the tears dry faster.
This may make eyes feel itchy, gritty, red, or tired, and vision may sometimes blur.
The doctor says screens are not automatically harmful, but long stretches without breaks can bother the tear film.
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Try to blink fully and keep the screen a little below eye level.
Air blowing straight at your face can also make tears evaporate faster.
Some people may benefit from lubricating eye drops, but frequent dryness or irritation should be discussed with an eye-care professional.
Prolonged screen use can reduce blinking or lead to incomplete blinks, making tears evaporate faster.
Dry-eye symptoms can include burning, redness, gritty sensations, watering, and fluctuating vision.
The ophthalmologist recommends looking about 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes and blinking fully.
Keeping screens slightly below eye level and avoiding direct airflow toward the eyes may reduce tear evaporation.
Other suggested measures include adequate sleep and hydration, preservative-free artificial tears when needed, and good eyelid and contact-lens hygiene.
- Who
- Dr Ramya P, an ophthalmologist at Apollo Hospitals, Jayanagar, Bangalore, provided the advice.
- What
- The article explains how prolonged screen use can worsen dry-eye symptoms and offers prevention measures.
- When
- The advice concerns prolonged or continuous screen use.
- Where
- The article was published by NDTV and quotes an ophthalmologist at Apollo Hospitals in Jayanagar, Bangalore.
- Why
- Prolonged visual concentration can reduce or make blinking incomplete, destabilizing the tear film and allowing tears to evaporate faster.
- 20-20-20 rule
- Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- Screen position
- Position the monitor slightly below eye level and at a comfortable viewing distance.
- Airflow
- Avoid direct airflow from air-conditioners, fans, or car vents toward the eyes.
- Eye drops
- Preservative-free artificial tears are generally preferable when drops are needed frequently.
- Other risk factors
- Air conditioning, wind or dust, contact lenses, inadequate sleep, age, and some medications can increase dry-eye risk.
- Additional measures
- Adequate sleep, normal hydration, good nutrition, warm compresses, and appropriate eyelid hygiene may support eye-surface health.