Hemel woman reveals how her eyesight deteriorated during pandemic as study shows adults spend 10 hours a day staring at screens

A young reporter from Hemel Hempstead has revealed how her eyesight deteriorated after taking an office job during the first lockdown.

Josie O’Brien, 23, first noticed her eyesight beginning to worsen when she could no longer read subtitles on the TV, road signs when she was driving and her current prescription glasses were no longer helping.

Having to wear glasses to correct her distance vision and using them mostly for driving, Josie was used to taking care of her eyes.

However, during the first lockdown, Josie took an office job as a reporter. Working long hours resulted in her spending more time with her digital devices - from spending an average of only six hours a day looking at a screen pre-lockdown to now spending, on average, 10 hours a day.

A recent survey commissioned by eyesight experts at All About Vision revealed 41 per cent of UK adults are now spending an average of 10-plus hours a day on some form of digital device, with 38 per cent stating that they are suffering from more headaches now than they did pre-lockdown.

Josie said: “I've been to the opticians twice since the pandemic started, and my eyesight has deteriorated to a point where I get nauseated and dizzy if I don't have my glasses on all the time.

“If I don’t wear my glasses, I find everything beyond immediate vision is blurry. I even wear them when sitting in front of my computer because I can't read small fonts.

“Now, I'm trying to limit my usage and don't use my phone as much outside of work hours. It seems a bit pointless though because my eyes have already deteriorated so much!”

Speaking about Josie’s case, Dr Pamela Miller medical reviewer for All About Vision said: “Josie has certainly experienced a deterioration in her eyesight — having gone from a limited amount of screen time to increasing her time spent on digital devices, it will take time for her eyes to adjust.

“It’s good that she has taken the right step and gone to her opticians. I would recommend she gets a new prescription for her glasses and ensures she takes regular breaks from her laptop to give her eyes a break.

"If she continues to feel nauseated and dizzy, it’s important she goes back to her opticians and explains her symptoms.”

All About Vision’s survey also revealed more than one in four (28 per cent) Brits do not consider their eye health a priority, with many not taking regular precautions to protect their eyes. 27 per cent have not even visited an optician in more than two years.

Speaking about the results, Dr Miller said: “Eye health is always on the bottom of people’s health lists, as many prioritize doctor’s appointments, and even dentist appointments, over check-ups with their optician.

“This is because many of us don’t see the impact our everyday lives have on our eyes, compared to our general health when we might feel unwell or suffer from a toothache.

“I’m strongly advising people to read up and educate themselves on how they can look after their eyes, attend their optician’s appointments and ensure they take regular breaks from digital devices.

"Simple changes can help prevent damage to eyesight and quality.”

For more information and tips and signs to look for visit the All About Vision website.