Due to the rapid advancements in our methods of communication, via telephone or otherwise, the constant upgrading of technologies and the need to deal with certain situations such as the current coronavirus situation along with all the social distancing measures that took effect such as the application of digital education and many more, people are being driven to dedicate more and more time using their devices such as, androids, tablets, computers and televisions.

Usually, television quite differs from the other above-mentioned devices because we tend to view television from a distance, whereas other devices require us to get closer which in turn can cause digital fatigue.

The above electronic objects create a visual, physical and psychological relationship with the corresponding consequences.

Like all new things we receive in life, situations such as this tend to bring changes in our behaviour in order for us to adapt more effectively to the new introduced standards such as curfews. Issues tend to arrive though when we lack the appropriate information and self-awareness to take appropriate measures and systematic technology usage can lead to visual fatigue, somatic concerns and addiction.

How can this fatigue be manifested?

First, it can be the tiredness of the eyes; most novel monitors emit blue light which can be very wearing for the eyes.

This can involve red or swollen, wet or dry eyes, difficulty focusing and difficulty in vision such as double visions for a certain period of time and increased light sensitivity.

There are no shortages of cases of people spending hours in front of a screen to start feeling and complaining about a headache.

Second, it can be the method we choose to sit in front of a screen. This might be in a chair while we sit in front of the office, or on the couch or on an armchair or bed or even when we sitting on the floor.

From the correct or not correct pose we are sitting, a ray of different somatic consequences can be experienced. For example, if our head is in an uncomfortable position for a prolong period of time then it can lead to pain and muscle grips on the back of the neck, if we lean on the desk while applying weight on our elbows, this can lead to Cubital Syndrome, that can cause numbness of the fingers and difficulty moving your hands. Furthermore, if our wrists are constantly stretched out (e.g. when you are typing on the keyboard) it can cause inflammation of the tendon and more.

Third, it concerns the subject of our mental stamina.

Ways of dealing and coping 

To be able to avoid visual fatigue, firstly we must acknowledge and accept that this threat is possible in order to take the right measurements but it is easier said than done.

First, if we cannot do it ourselves, we could ask the individual that configures our computers, to adjust the monitor colourisation, brightness and lightning to acceptable levels.

Second, regarding the resting of the eyes and the muscles of the eyes, every 20-30 minutes we need to spend some time (at least half a minute) to shift the direction of your gaze away from the monitor. This means we need to detach the gaze from the monitor and look something in the room that has some distance between us to allow the eyes to rest from the constant focus.

Third, people that wear contact lenses should prefer wearing glasses whilst sitting in front of their monitors to avoid dryness of the eyes. In case a person experiences constant dryness of the eyes, eye drops are advisable to relief the eyes.

Fourth, it is the issue of the strain we put on our bodies while staying sited for a prolong period of time. It is very helpful to stand every half an hour and make a few steps in our working area whilst flexing our head and neck as well. When sitting, our feet must be touching the ground firmly (not on a footrest or footstool).

For this reason, any sitting stance that includes your feet being crossed or your ankles being twisted should be avoided and there should be a small gap between our knees and the chair we are sitting. When we are sitting, the knees should approximately be the same height with the thighs. This can be done by adjusting your chair if possible or by straightening your back on the chair whilst sitting. This can also be accomplished with the use of a pillow or a blanket etc.

Fifth, comes the issue of our psychological stamina and maintain a certain amount of strength to continuously work in front of a monitor. Where it is possible, we can be listening to music or stop for a few minutes to search videos and pictures that will make us feel better and bring a smile on our face.

Furthermore, something else that is associated with our psychology and addiction.

If the time we spend in front of our monitors is not associated with the direct earning of income, we should evaluate how many hours (free time or not) from our daily lives we spend in front of a monitor and consider if our behaviors is dependent or not. Meaning, if we do not dedicate some time using our devices we might experience psychological discomfort, deprivation; not feel well and discomfort will only be satisfied once we returned in front of the screen.

The above mentioned situations very often we deny that can happen to us but this is one more factor within our digital lives.

Especially when you take into consideration desirable motives behind the use of electronical devices such as videogames, gambling and videos that excite our imagination, then the issue might be more visible.

Because treatment in this case is more complicated than usual, intervention preparation should be more decisive.