Oct. 28, 2020 — Prevent Blindness has unveiled its Screen Time-Out campaign, a response to the public’s increased virtual activity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign encourages individuals, especially parents of young children, to incorporate regular screen breaks into daily routines.

Eyecare professionals can share the campaign graphics, which have been featured on the Prevent Blindness Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages.

"At Prevent Blindness, we are concerned about people spending more and more time in front of our screens," says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. "As an organization dedicated to ensuring everyone has a lifetime of healthy vision, the Screen Time-Out campaign is meant to educate people and reduce the risk of eye strain, starting with the youngest among us.”

According to new research from CooperVision conducted among nearly 2,500 adults in the U.S., 70% of those ages 18-54 reported spending more than half of their day looking at screens—and 1 in 3 spend more than 75% of their day on digital devices. Addtionally, 65% of surveyed parents said their children spend at least three hours per day on digital devices for school, while 23% have at least six hours of school-related screen time each day. 

"Digital eye strain has been a rising modern threat to people of all ages, and it is linked to myriad issues, including eye development and nearsightedness," says Linda Chous, O.D. "It is important now more than ever to be mindful of how much time we spend with screens and take steps to reduce the impact of digital eye strain."

To reduce digital eye strain (DES), Prevent Blindness recommends children and adults take regular breaks using the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, shift eyes away from the screen to look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. 

Other tips, shared from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, include: 

• Make a conscious effort to blink, especially when using screens.
• Use artificial tears to refresh eyes when they feel fry.
• Wear computer glasses.
• Adjust the brightness and contrast on screens.
• Reduce the glare on screens by using a matte screen filter.
• Adjust your position while using the computer. 

Learn more about the Screen Time-Out campaign from Prevent Blindness here.