Whether you're a gamer, a serial binge-watcher, taking an online course, or putting in tons of OT with your trusted laptop, you may already be familiar with the effects of getting too much screen time.
As is to be expected, time spent in front of screens has dramatically increased throughout the pandemic for many Canadians, with everyday things like school, work and socializing moving almost exclusively online.
In fact, the percentage of Canadian employees aged 15-69 working from home grew from 4% in 2016 to 32% at the start of 2021. While we may have already guessed that screen time went up during the pandemic, it's still staggering to see that the number of people working from home, and therefore most likely working from behind a screen exclusively, has ballooned up so significantly.
With less definition between work and leisure time, it's easy to suddenly find yourself in front of a screen for most of your waking hours without rest. This can result in something called dry eye syndrome.
The Symptoms
Even though excessive screen time may be the new normal, dry, irritated eyes don't need to be.
According to Systane, when you stare at a device's screen for hours at a time, you may not only feel tired but your blink reflex could also become suppressed, which can cause dry eye syndrome.
It might be difficult to tell whether or not you're dealing with dry eye syndrome, since the most common symptoms might be commonplace. But, if your eyes are:
- Dry, irritated, or red
- Burning, stinging, or painful
- Gritty
- Sensitive to light
- Tired
- Blurred
- Watery or excessively teary
Then you could potentially suffer from dry eye syndrome and not know it. Since these symptoms are so common, it may be difficult to tell whether you suffer from dry eye syndrome or not. But if this sounds familiar to you, you just might be needlessly suffering.
What Exactly Is Dry Eye Syndrome?
When you blink, a small amount of liquid from your tear ducts spreads over your cornea, creating a protective coating. This helps lubricate your eyes and clear away irritants like dirt. When you're unable to produce enough tears for the job, the liquid evaporates too fast and your eyes can be left feeling irritated. That feeling is called dry eye syndrome.
What You Can Do
The syndrome may sound and can feel unpleasant, but with tried-and-tested eye drops, which protect and replenish all layers of the tear film, you can help treat them.
Gamer Michael Tash, from YouTube channel Mtashed, uses Systane Complete to help with his dry eye syndrome.
Systane Complete is actually the fastest growing eye drop brand in Canada, and offers long-lasting relief for all types of dry eyes. In fact, the whole Systane Eye Drops lineup of products is proven to provide quick, long-lasting relief from a whole range of dry eye symptoms - and they're super easy and uncomplicated to use.
"I spend a lot of my day staring at screens while gaming. Excessive screen time is the norm and can cause irritated dry eyes. Taking breaks is great, but most of us can't simply run away from our jobs or a close game, " he said.
"Take care of your eyes, and keep them hydrated, so you can get back in the game!"
Systane Complete
Price: Around $14, depending on location.
Where: Systane Complete is available at most retailers across Canada.
Details: Systane Complete is designed to easily treat the symptoms of dry eye syndrome so you can get back to work or enjoy your leisure time without the frustration of dry, irritated eyes. They're Canada's fastest-growing eye drop brand, and Systane offers a complete portfolio of quick-working, long-lasting, uncomplicated products to help you with your dry eye symptoms.
To learn more about dry eye syndrome and how to treat it, visit your local pharmacy. You can also learn more about Systane on their website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
The information in this article is not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.