Most of us spend the better part of our day staring at screens. Phones in the morning. Computers at work. Tablets in the evening. And according to ophthalmologists, our eyes are paying for it in ways most of us don't fully appreciate.
A recent piece in The New York Times asked leading eye doctors what they wish their patients knew. Here's what they said — and what it means for how you care for your eyes and choose your glasses.
Your Blink Rate Drops in Half When You Stare at Screens
Under normal conditions, you blink around 15 times per minute. It's involuntary, automatic, and essential — each blink coats your eye with a fresh layer of tear film that keeps the surface lubricated and clear.
But when you're focused on a screen, that blink rate can drop to as low as 5 to 7 times per minute. Less than half the normal rate. Do that for eight hours and your eyes are working significantly harder than they were designed to.
The result is what eye doctors call digital eye strain: dryness, redness, blurred vision, headaches, and that familiar end-of-day heaviness behind your eyes.
The 20-20-20 Rule Actually Works
Ophthalmologists are consistent on this one. Dr. Melissa Daluvoy, associate professor of ophthalmology at Duke University, puts it simply: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. "That's something we preach all the time for dry eyes," she says. (Via The New York Times)
It sounds almost too simple. But the mechanics behind it are real. Looking into the distance relaxes the focusing muscles inside your eye, which tighten when you're reading up close. The shift also naturally triggers blinking, which rehydrates your eyes.
Set a timer if you need to. Most people find that after a few weeks it becomes automatic.
If dryness is a persistent problem, Dr. Daluvoy recommends preservative-free artificial tears. The preservatives in standard drops can actually irritate eyes with regular use — so read the label.
The Reading Distance Problem Nobody Talks About
There's another layer to screen eye strain that doesn't get enough attention: most people aren't wearing the right glasses for the distances they're actually working at.
Standard reading glasses are optimized for about 16 inches — the distance of a book in your hands. But your computer screen is probably 24 to 30 inches away. Your phone might be 12 inches. You're constantly moving between distances that your glasses weren't designed to handle cleanly.
That constant refocusing — hunting for the right focal point throughout the day — contributes significantly to the eye strain most people attribute to screen time alone.
Extended vision lenses are designed specifically for this range of distances — near to intermediate — giving you a wider, more natural field of view that covers your phone, your keyboard, your screen, and the person across the desk without the constant adjustment that traditional readers require. If you think your current glasses might not be matched to the way you work, it's worth exploring — browse our Extended Vision Readers collection to see what's available.
Your Eyes Can Get Sunburned
Screen strain gets most of the attention, but UV exposure is an equally important — and frequently overlooked — threat to long-term eye health.
Extended exposure to UV light can cause photokeratitis — essentially a sunburn on the surface of your eye. Dr. Vincent K. Young, chief of ophthalmology at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, describes the experience vividly: "as if you had a scratched cornea." He sees it regularly after ski weekends. "We get a lot of people who have been skiing over the weekend, and they come to us on Monday morning, and their eyes are in tremendous pain because of all of that UV damage." (Via The New York Times)
Skiers aren't the only ones at risk. Beaches, open water, and high-altitude environments all create conditions where UV exposure adds up faster than people expect.
Dr. Zubair Ansari of the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute offers a simple rule of thumb: "If you're in a situation where you're using sunblock, you also want to be wearing protective eyewear." (Via The New York Times)
Longtime sun exposure without protection also increases the risk of certain types of cataracts — making this less about comfort and more about protecting your vision over the long term. For people who need vision correction, prescription sunglasses are the right answer — clear vision and real UVA/UVB protection in one pair. If you're due for a new pair, take a look at our prescription sunglasses.
An Eye Exam Does More Than Update Your Prescription
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a comprehensive eye exam at 40 to establish a baseline, then every one to four years depending on your age — and every one to two years once you're past 65.
Most people go far less frequently than that.
What many don't realize is how much a comprehensive exam reveals beyond vision correction. Dr. Daluvoy notes that eye doctors can detect signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, and even brain disease through an eye exam. "I've actually found a brain tumor in a patient who had complaints about difficulty reading," she says. (Via The New York Times)
Dr. Young puts the case for regular checkups plainly: "Do you see your dentist every two years? I mean, come on! I would think you should be seeing your eye doctor once a year." (Via The New York Times)
Schedule the exam. Get the prescription. Then make sure your glasses are actually matched to the way you live and work. Not sure where to start? Browse the full Lens & Frame Co. collection and find a pair built for how you actually see the world.
Need help understanding your prescription and what glasses are best for you? Use our Read My Rx tool.
This article references expert commentary originally published in The New York Times, March 2026. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are experiencing eye pain, sudden vision changes, or other symptoms, consult an eye care professional.
