5 Digital Eye Strain Hacks to Enhance Patient and Practice Experience

A recent survey shows that almost half of Americans do not know what digital eye strain is. Additionally, most aren’t aware that lenses and enhancements are available to help with irritated eyes or visual issues that arise from daily screen time. These and other concerning findings surfaced in recent digital eye strain research conducted by Jobson/WebMD and by The Vision Council.

Digital eye strain symptoms are surging, while awareness of their cause—and alleviation—remains low. Digital eye strain sufferers are desperate for help. This presents you with a fantastic opportunity to provide them an informative, personalized, effective, and ultimately satisfying experience.

Below are five simple and instantly implementable tips to do just that. At the end of the post, you’ll also find a handy, downloadable cheat sheet you can take with you.

1.  Educate Your Patients on Digital Eye Strain

Many of your patients probably don’t know what digital eye strain is, let alone where it comes from, how it impacts them, and how they can reduce their likelihood of developing symptoms. Educating them about the problem goes a long way in helping them accept the need for a solution. In-person chats, educational emails or social media posts, and in-office literature are all great ways to increase awareness.

Educating them about the problem goes a long way in helping them accept the need for a solution. "

2. Get to Know Each Patient’s Digital Lifestyle

Chatting about device use during pretest or in the exam room are helpful, but wouldn’t it be great to have all that information at your disposal ahead of time? Having a patient complete a questionnaire like this one from TechShield Blue, or a digital assessment like this one from Unity in the waiting room or prior to a patient’s visit, are fantastic ways to get to know a patient’s needs, improve patient flow, and have a digital eye strain recommendation in mind ahead of time.

3. Increase Awareness About Lens Products for Digital Eye Strain

Most patients don’t know there are lenses and enhancements that can help alleviate their symptoms. Being well-versed on the optical solutions at your disposal makes for the most informative and beneficial recommendations for your patients. Informing patients of the lenses or enhancements available to them via email or social media, and having product brochures in the waiting room or dispensary are good ways to educate them on digital eye strain products.

​Unity Via OfficePro and Unity Relieve are two great lenses for digital eye strain. Unity Via OfficePro is a near-variable focus lens designed for the workplace, and Unity Relieve is a single vision lens with a slight add power at the bottom. Both lenses use advanced technology that make them easier to fit and dispense while providing your patients exceptional vision and relief from digital eye strain symptoms. 

Being well-versed on the optical solutions at your disposal makes for the most informative and beneficial recommendations for your patients."

4. Offer Solutions Beyond Lenses

In addition to lenses and coatings that help combat digital eye strain, there are several steps your patients can take to help themselves daily. Practicing the 20/20/20 rule, increasing font size on their monitor or device, and downloading or activating a blue-light-filtering app on their device are three methods that come to mind.

​5. Wear What You Recommend

If you’re telling patients about the importance of wearing lenses for digital eye strain, but not wearing them yourself, your recommendation loses steam. Wearing the products you recommend is essential in proving their value. It also allows you to share your personal experiences and success stories with your patients.

Your help is invaluable in many ways. Recognizing the problem, sharing accurate information to raise general awareness, and offering patients options for relief are all major steps in combating digital eye strain.

If you’re telling patients about the importance of wearing lenses for digital eye strain, but not wearing them yourself, your recommendation loses steam."

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Keep a streamlined guide of these tips at your fingertips. 
Download this digital eye strain dispensing “cheat sheet” today!

download the cheat sheet

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