Key Statistics at a Glance

66-69%

Global prevalence

Meta-analysis of 103 studies

$151B

US economic impact (2023)

AOA/Deloitte report

74%

Prevalence during pandemic

Up from 5-65% pre-COVID

Global Prevalence

Meta-Analysis Findings

A comprehensive 2024 systematic review of 103 cross-sectional studies across 20 countries with 66,577 participants established a pooled prevalence of 66%.

A 2023 meta-analysis updated global prevalence to 69%. Prevalence ranges from 8.2% to 100% depending on population studied and methodology.

United States Prevalence

77%

Adults report DES symptoms

104M

Working-age Americans with 7+ hrs screen time

70%

Office workers with excessive screen time

50-90%

Computer users with visual symptoms (AOA)

CooperVision Study (2023, N=750, ages 18-44)

• 69% experience symptoms associated with digital eye strain
• 38% experience symptoms multiple times per week or more
• 52% spend 6+ hours daily on digital devices
• 25% spend 9+ hours daily on screens

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

The pandemic served as an inflection point for digital eye strain, nearly tripling prevalence rates that remain elevated today.

Before, During, and After

Period	Prevalence	Notes
Pre-pandemic	5-65%	Variable across studies
During pandemic	74%	2024 systematic review
Post-pandemic (2022)	63.7%	vs 24.7% pre-pandemic
Children (pandemic)	50-60%	Significant increase

Screen Time Changes

•61.7% of workers added 1+ hour of screen time since pandemic
•Research publication surge: 395 articles (1973-2019) vs 544 articles (2020-2023) - 38% increase in 3.5 years
•Remote work screen time consistently higher than hybrid arrangements

Economic Costs: United States

AOA/Deloitte Economics Institute Report (January 2024)

Total costs of unmanaged excessive screen time in 2023 reached $151 billion

$51.8B

Direct health & productivity

$73B

Symptoms & productivity

$99.3B

Wellbeing costs

Breakdown of Direct Costs ($51.8 billion)

Productivity Losses: $50.6 billion

Absenteeism$25.7B (50.8%)

Presenteeism$24.9B (49.2%)

Healthcare System Costs: $1.2 billion

Females$615M (50.4%)

Males$585M (49.6%)

Per Person Annual Costs

$702

Symptoms related to excessive screen time per person

$579

Cost per male exposed to excessive screen time

$418

Cost per female exposed to excessive screen time

$486

Average productivity loss per person

Global Economic Impact

The World Health Organization estimates £411 billion ($500+ billion) in global productivity losses from undiagnosed and untreated vision problems annually.

Potential Savings from Intervention

If those with unmanaged screen time visited optometrists yearly, potential annual savings could reach:

• $61.1 billion total potential savings
• $1,920 per person in individual savings
• $45.5 billion in potential productivity gains
• $26.3 billion in wellbeing improvements

Workplace Productivity Impact

University of Alabama Birmingham Study

• Computer users with small refractive errors show 20% performance decrease on specific tasks
• 10% productivity improvement possible with proper computer eyewear
• Providing computer vision care to all employees yields significant cost-benefit ratio

Workplace Effects Statistics

50%

Workers have at least one eye issue

63%

Report negative productivity impacts

55%

Experience reduced ability to focus

42%

Report mental health impacts

8.1%

Symptoms affect work performance

10-20%

Productivity loss from unmanaged strain

Health Impacts and Symptoms

👁️Ocular Symptoms (89.5%)

1. Eye dryness (most prevalent)
2. Headache
3. Eye redness
4. Eye strain/soreness
5. Eye itching
6. Blurred vision
7. Burning sensation
8. Eye irritation
9. Photophobia (light sensitivity)
10. Tearing/watery eyes

🦴Musculoskeletal (94.3%)

Neck pain79.1%
Back pain82.7%
Shoulder pain69.8%

Productivity and Quality of Life Impact

46.9%

Symptoms affect ability to complete tasks

57.4%

DES reduces attention/concentration

51.7%

Migraines/chronic headaches worsen

56.3%

Report daytime sleepiness

58.3%

Report difficulty with sleep entry

Remote Work Effects

VSP Vision Care & Workplace Intelligence Study (2024, N=1,600)

Remote/hybrid workers

7+ hours

daily screen time

On-site employees

5.5 hours

daily screen time

27% increase in screen time for remote workers

Health Impact by Work Setting

43%

Remote workers report worsening eye health

55%

Companies report increased screen fatigue

62%

Professionals struggle with DES symptoms

67%

Workers juggle multiple screens in meetings

28%

Remote workers struggle to take breaks

40%

US workers work remotely (28% hybrid, 12% full)

Prevention Methods Effectiveness

❌Blue Light Filters: LIMITED EVIDENCE

2023 Cochrane Systematic Review (17 randomized controlled trials, 6 countries):

• No significant short-term advantage in reducing visual fatigue
• No clinically meaningful difference in critical flicker-fusion frequency
• Probably little to no effect on visual performance
• Sleep quality results inconclusive
• Blue light filters block only 10-25% of blue light
• Screen blue light represents less than 1% of sun exposure amount

⚠️20-20-20 Rule: MODERATE EVIDENCE

Research shows mixed results (see Article 1 for full details):

• Only 34% practice the rule (38 regularly, 109 occasionally)
• Talens-Estarelles (2023): Effective for reducing DES symptoms (p≤0.045), but benefits disappeared after discontinuation
• Johnson & Rosenfield (2023): No significant effect on symptoms (p=0.70)
• Expert consensus: Any break from computer work is beneficial

✅Computer Glasses/Vision Correction: STRONG EVIDENCE

• Correction of refractive error is an important intervention
• Uncorrected astigmatism of 0.50-1.00D negatively impacts visual comfort
• 1.00-2.00D astigmatic error may increase task errors by up to 370%
• CooperVision Energys lenses: 82% experienced improvement in eye tiredness
• 90% agreed on clear, reliable vision

Awareness Gap:

• 50% never heard of contact lenses designed for DES
• 71% unaware that glasses for DES existed
• 58% never talked to eye care professional about device use

✅Ergonomic Interventions: WELL-SUPPORTED

• Position screen 20-28 inches from eyes

• Angle 15-20 degrees below eye level

• Arm's distance from screen

• Match screen brightness to surroundings

• Reduce glare through lighting adjustments

• Increase font sizes for easier reading

Unmanaged Population Gap

Critical Gap

• 31.8 million (31%) with excessive screen time did not see optometrist in last 12 months

• 55% of this group experienced vision-related symptoms that could be improved

• 90% do not discuss device use with eye care practitioner

This represents significant public health and economic opportunity

Trends Over Time

Growing Prevalence

Pre-COVID-195-65% (variable)

During pandemic74%

Post-pandemic 202263.7% (vs 24.7% pre)

2023-202466-69% stabilized

Screen Time Evolution

• Average American worker: Now 7+ hours daily
• 96 hours/week total screen time across all devices
• 72% of Americans use digital devices 5+ hours daily
• 62% increased smartphone usage past 2 years
• 86.5% of children spend 2+ hours daily on digital devices

The Bottom Line

Digital eye strain isn't rare—it's routine. Around two-thirds of screen users report symptoms, and the shift to remote work pushed daily exposure even higher.

The cost is real: productivity dips, slower refocus, and end-of-day fatigue.

The good news? The most effective fixes are simple—structured breaks, distance viewing, deliberate blinking, solid ergonomics, and correct vision correction—and they work best when you actually do them consistently.

Vision Guard for macOS turns these best practices into a habit you'll keep

✓Pomodoro-based focus cycles
✓Gentle break overlay for real distance viewing (not phone scrolling)
✓Guided eye exercises
✓Smart auto-pause for calls/videos
✓Weekly stats that show what's working

Work smarter. Protect your vision. Feel better by 5 p.m.

Start your first protected focus block in under 60 seconds.