5 Standout Stats from The Vision Council's 2017 Digital Eye Strain Report

When it comes to insight on the digital viewing habits of Americans, The Vision Council has established itself as the go-to source. Each year the council releases its findings on the awareness and impacts of device use, blue light exposure, and digital eye strain. 

The Vision Council has released its 2017 blue light/digital eye strain report, and this year's edition featured several noteworthy findings. Here’s a quick look at five of them and what they could mean for you and your patients.

1.    More than 87% of Americans report using digital devices for more than two hours a day. 

So what? The effects of digital eye strain can be felt within two hours of device use. That means nearly 90% of people are prone to symptoms, and you can expect to see an ongoing increase in complaints of eye strain. So, it’s critical to understand each patient’s digital habits, as well the products available to help them reduce their blue light exposure.

2.    68.5% of Americans do not discuss their digital device use with their eye care provider

So What? This highlights an area of opportunity to better engage and educate patients on the potential effects of too much screen time. Having patients complete a blue light questionnaire prior to, or when signing in for their appointment, helps you gauge how much blue light they're taking in, and how that may be affecting their eyes.

3.    73.5% of Americans do not know eyewear can be used to reduce blue light exposure and combat digital eye strain.

So What? Again, this directly points to an area of opportunity for you and your staff to not only educate patients on blue-light-reducing eyewear, but to also share how these products have benefited you personally.

4.    While 78.3% of parents are concerned about the impact of digital devices on their children, only 29.1% take their kids for an annual eye exam as part of back-to-school preparation.

So What? It wouldn’t be surprising if a majority of parents simply overlook the back-to-school eye exam with everything else going on in their busy lives. You can easily remind them to schedule this important visit through timely Facebook posts, emails, newsletters, or signage in the office. 

5.    55.6% of Americans say their kids experience one of the following symptoms after two or more hours of screen time:

• Headaches
• Neck/Shoulder Pain
• Eye Strain, Dry or Irritated Eyes
• Reduced Attention Span
• Poor Behavior

So What? More than half of American children are experiencing visual, physical, and/or behavioral setbacks as a possible result of blue light exposure. It’s never been more important to help parents understand the effects of all that screen time, the need to reduce their children’s exposure, and the ability to do so with blue-light-reducing lenses and coatings.

These five stats, and numerous other findings in the report, clearly indicate blue light and digital eye strain remain important topics of discussion between eye care providers and patients – as are the means to combat their impact. 

View the 2017 Digital Eye Strain Report infographic. 

Which stats stood out to you? Let us know in the comments section below.
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​*The Vision Council, “What is blue light?” 2017, See PDF​