Skip to main content

Eye care experts say multiscreen lifestyle raises risk of dry eye disease

dry eye disease increasing woman working with multiple device screens
antonioguillem / 123RF Stock Photo
Are you more aware of feeling your eyes? The incidence of dry eye disease is increasing, and eye care professionals blame our multiscreen lifestyles, according to the National Eye Care (Current Attitudes Related to Eye Health) Survey.

The National Eye CARE Survey was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Shire, a biopharmaceutical company that developed a treatment for dry eye disease. The survey polled consumers and professionals. The consumer group consisted of 1,210 U.S. adults with dry eye symptoms or diagnosed with chronic dry eye. The professional survey results included 1,015 U.S. optometrists and ophthalmologists.

Recommended Videos

Dry eye disease (DED) is “an inflammatory disease of the ocular surface that is often chronic and may be progressive. The disease is most commonly associated with dryness and overall eye discomfort, as well as stinging, burning, a gritty feeling or episodes of blurred vision.” according to Shire.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Traditionally dry eye disease has been most common among women over 50. The survey suggests there may no longer be a traditional dry eye patient and implicates digital electronics screens as a cause.

The consumers surveyed were less likely to attribute their symptoms to aging, lack of sleep, the use of contact lenses, or environmental factors than to screen time. More than half (53 percent) believed looking at computers, television, smartphones, tablets, ebook readers, and video games were the primary cause of their symptoms. Most consumers surveyed (79 percent) said they were more aware of “feeling their eyes” after viewing a screen.

The professionals in the survey were even more convinced than the consumers. Most (87 percent) said there is not longer a typical dry eye patient and 76 percent reported more patients in the 18- to 34-age range than 10 years previously. Almost all of the surveyed optometrists and ophthalmologists (92 percent) said the use of technology contributes to dry eye symptoms and 89 percent said dry eye disease is increasingly common because of our multi-screen lifestyles.

Ophthalmologist Marguerite McDonald summarized the survey findings: “Survey results highlight the expanding patient demographics that many eye care professionals have been observing in their practices. While age and female gender continue to be significant risk factors for dry eye disease, most ECPs [eye care professionals] believe that the rise of our multi-screen lifestyle has led to a noticeable shift, with more young adults presenting with dry eye symptoms than in years past. Importantly, the results also suggest that women over the age of 50, who are already known to be at increased risk for dry eye, may also be more at risk today due to our modern lifestyle. In today’s world, adults of various ages need to know what symptoms to look for and talk to an ECP right away if they notice these changes in their eyes.”

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
The best health and fitness apps for iPhone in 2025: 15 best ones
Apple's Fitness app on the iPhone 14 Pro.

"Fitness" can mean a lot of things. For some people, it's being able to run far or fast. For others, it's being able to lift heavy things and lower them back down again. Others may simply want to keep trim or eat healthily. It may even mean getting a great night's sleep, or making sure your mental wellness is at its best. Whatever fitness means for you, we have a list of apps that cover all the possible bases. These apps excel in a number of different areas, but what they all generally have in common is that they use iOS' powerful tech to monitor and analyze your performance. As a result, they can help you progress along your fitness journey.

With 2025 now upon us, getting in shape -- and staying in shape -- is at the top of your list of New Year's resolutions. These apps will help you kick the new year off on a good foot and maintain your physical fitness for the rest of the year and every year after. You can pair the apps with other tech for best results, so make sure to check out our lists of the best fitness trackers and the best running headphones. Here are the best fitness apps for the iPhone in 2025.
Apple Fitness

Read more
GlassesUSA Black Friday Sale: Get 30% off prescription glasses
GlassesUSA frames close up with multiple styles.

Need a new pair of glasses? Want to stock up for your holiday trips before you head to meet up with your relatives? Typically, you'd have to wait until the official Black Friday event, the day after Thanksgiving, or maybe even Cyber Monday, but that's not the case this year. Alongside a variety of the best online glasses deals, GlassesUSA is hosting a huge Black Friday sale early, allowing you to save big on prescription glasses and frames with no waiting necessary. Of course, we always recommend browsing the sale of your own accord to see what's discounted because we couldn't possibly cover everything, nor could we know precisely what you're looking for. That said, we've called out quite a few of the best deals below.

What to shop in the early GlassesUSA Black Friday sale
Rightfully dubbed the Black Friday Early Bird sale, now's an excellent time to save up to 30% on prescription glasses. Moreover, GlassesUSA is truly dedicated to helping you find the perfect pair. Not only are there a ton of brands and styles to choose from, but you'll benefit from free shipping and returns and a money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied. You can even take to find the correct pair for your face. Ray-Ban, Oakley, DKNY, Prada, Ottoto, Muse, they are all here and available to shop, most discounted even. Men's and Women's eyewear are on sale, too, so there's something for everyone.

Read more
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deals you can shop now
Daughter gifting Ancestry Gift Membership to family

DNA tests are awesome holiday gifts for your family. Together you can all build your family tree and discover your genetic makeup. Unfortunately the tests are pretty expensive, but at least you only need to test once. There are some nice Black Friday deals going on today that will save you a significant amount of money on single tests or bundles. Check out our favorite below, then more more deals worth checking out under that.
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deal
AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit -- $59, was $99

The single person AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit is our pick for the best Black Friday deal already available. The kit normally costs $99, but right now it's down to just $59. That's a nice discount of $30 on one of the best DNA tests available. We're not sure how long this deal will last, so you should grab it soon.

Read more