Gen Z spends on average nine hours a day ogling at screens. In 2024, tech took up 112 full days of our year. In our increasingly virtual world, it’s hard not to spend a large portion of our day plugged in and online. Our classrooms are digitized, our workplaces are remote, and taking a break from them means switching tabs from TikTok to iMessage.
This uniquely Gen Z cyber-lifestyle reportedly has some incredibly apparent mental health setbacks—feelings of isolation, insecurity and comparison of digital lives, loss of connection to the physical world. But, what about the physical setbacks?
Stepping outside after an intense library study session can feel like entering a brand-new world. You may notice a headache, dry eyes, or strained vision after concentrating for hours on books and screens. It can be disorienting and frightening, but don’t rush to pick out frames just yet.
I sat down with Dr. Jeffrey D. Henderer, Department Chair and Professor of Ophthalmology at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, to dispel some myths about screen related vision loss and hear his advice for college students gearing up for finals week.
Nearsightedness, medically referred to as myopia or refractive error, has grown substantially worldwide, with professionals referring to the condition as reaching a crisis. This heightened growth of myopia, from 25 percent of Americans diagnosed in the 1970s to 42 percent in more recent years, has largely been attributed to changes in lifestyle. Increased time inside with harsher, unnatural light and screens are believed to be the most significant factors.
While nearsightedness is growing more common, it’s not a major health issue that you need to fear. On the severity of the condition, Dr. Henderer tells Her Campus, “Is it a problem? It’s a nuisance, for sure.” In most cases, it’s dependent entirely on genetics.
The good news is that, according to Dr. Henderer, the risk of developing myopia from screen usage is greatly reduced, if not gone, by your mid 20s. That studying induced vision impairment we feel at times is known as screen fatigue or eyestrain and has no apparent risk of long-term eye damage. “Imagine you were lifting weights,” says Dr. Henderer, “you’re not going to hurt your arms, but your arms will get tired. It’s the same concept with overusing your eyes.”
To reduce screen fatigue, there are a few techniques that Dr. Henderer recommends. The 20-20-20 rule is quick, easy, and can be done anywhere. Every 20 minutes, you’ll want to pick an object that is at least 20 feet away and focus your eyes on it for about 20 seconds. No more post-cram headaches or finals week fatigue!
If you currently wear glasses, contacts, or feel that you may benefit from them, a vision test to check your prescription every year or so is best. Nearsightedness can’t be undone, but treatment with glasses can make everyday tasks easier. Otherwise, you’ve still got some time, about 15 to 20 years, before regular visits are recommended as vision continues to change naturally with age.
So, it turns out the physical setbacks of screen usage are just as temporary as the mental and both can be solved in the same ways. Take some time to log off, get outside, and give your eyes a well-deserved break from the books.