Judging by all the things that are blamed on current screen time practices, you might think that this fairly recent phenomena is the root of most of our problems. It would be nice if there was an argument coming to somewhat dispel those dire forebodings about spending too much time on our digital devices but, unfortunately, we are, in fact, going to add to them. According to eye care professionals, there has been a marked increase in dry eyes in children that is being attributed to time spent looking at computer or phone screens. It stands to reason that, even though having a dry eye issue is usually considered a part of the natural aging process, adults who are also experiencing an increase in this condition well before the age that would normally happen, are being affected by the same thing.
When the eyes do not receive enough moisture, it can lead to the condition known simply as dry eye. Symptoms include itching, redness and pain from dry spots on the surface of the eye. There may be an issue with the tear ducts not producing enough tears or a problem with the chemical balance in the tears themselves, leading to the eyes becoming dry and irritated or having burning, stinging or gritty sensations.