The Pandemic’s Price on our Eyesight 

Myvision.org shared with Healthy Lombard that Technology has become more of a necessity than a luxury, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While technology does help connect us, excessive screen time can also lead to problems like eye strain. Because of this, we were curious to see if the pandemic has led to more eye issues in the last two years.

We surveyed more than 1,000 people who wear glasses and/or contacts to get feedback on their eye health and eye habits throughout the past few years. Turns out that many people are having vision problems…but are putting off going to the doctor.

Two out of five people admit their eyesight has gotten worse since the onset of the pandemic. Nearly 70% report having more trouble seeing further away, and almost one-third are dealing with issues reading up close. Since March 2020, three out of 10 people have gotten stronger prescriptions for their glasses or contacts.

But of those struggling to see, many are not ready to seek help. One out of three admits to not getting their eyes checked over the last two years. In fact, 25% say they’ve actually avoided getting an eye test, even though they know they need one!  

Masks have also impacted how people wear glasses. More than one in 10 (13%) say they wear contacts now instead of glasses, purely because of masks. Meanwhile, 25% of respondents say they wear their glasses more because of remote work.

Technology has taken over workplaces in America. Almost one in four (38%) say they spend more than eight hours a day looking at screens for their jobs. That comes with a cost. 29% say they feel that working from home has made their eyesight worse.

The top issues facing people who work remotely include eye strain, fatigue, headaches, and trouble sleeping. One out of every three surveyed adds that their eyes have started twitching while looking at screens.

To read the entire article, click here.