News Briefs Archive

New Report: The Level of Digital Eye Fatigue Your Patients Face

Jan. 31, 2018

CooperVision has released its Digital Device Usage and Your Eyes report, highlighting new global research on consumer use of digital devices in relation to eye health. Believed to be the largest initiative of its kind, the data reveals multiple opportunities for eyecare professionals (ECPs) to deepen patient relationships.

A multifaceted survey was conducted among thousands of respondents in Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the U.S. The report is available for download from CooperVision.com/digital-report.

The research showed that both contact lens wearers and non-wearers worry about how much they use digital devices. Globally, 19 percent of people who use vision correction, and 18 percent of people who do not, express concern about the amount of time spent looking at screens. This edges higher—to 26 percent globally—for contact lens wearers.

“It’s clear that people around the world are beginning to consider the effects of digital device use on their eyes, including discomfort symptoms associated with digital eye fatigue,” says Gary Orsborn, OD, MS, FAAO, FBCLA, vice-president, global professional and clinical affairs, CooperVision. “While there’s widespread interest by patients in discussing digital device use with their eyecare professional, that’s not happening in large part. Bridging this conversation gap is a substantial opportunity for ECPs, helping them provide better care while remaining even more relevant in the lives of their patients as device use skyrockets.”

Globally, just 14 percent of contact lens wearers reported that they had spoken with an ECP regarding digital device use. Yet 78 percent of contact lens wearers—nearly four in five—said they would be very, or somewhat interested, in exploring ways to reduce eye tiredness with their ECP, according to CooperVision.

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