Doctor explains the six things you should try if you suffer from headaches after too much screentime at work

A doctor has explained the six things you should do if you're getting headaches from too much screen time.

Digital eye strain - also known as computer vision syndrome - is a relatively new type of condition and you can probably guess what the culprit is.

That's right, spending too much time on your phone now has a its very own medical name.

Thanks to the major advancements in technology, the modern work day for most of us unlucky souls revolves around spending eight hours a day sat in-front of a laptop screen.

Add that to the amount of time the average person spends on their phone of watching television and you're looking at a serious amount of hours spent looking at a screen time every week.

Digital eye strain is commonplace in our technology heavy culture (Getty Stock Images)

Which is why it's no surprise that so many of us have eye-strain related conditions.

According to research by Boots, around 75 percent of British adults admit to an improved quality of life through wearing glasses - and it's widely believed that the amount of time we spend looking at a screen is contributing to our increasing need for glasses.

How do screens relate to headaches and vision problems?

Conditions such as digital eye strain, poor head and neck posture, myopia (nearsightedness) and headaches can all be caused by spending an excessive amount of time in-front of a screen.

Symptoms of digital eye-strain can also include: throbbing pain on one side of the head, nausea, dizziness, light sensitivity, tightness in the neck and shoulders, dry eyes and, in certain cases, migraines.

What causes digital eye strain?

The word 'digital' in digital eye strain is of course a major giveaway as to the cause. There's no one reason why this happens, however prolonged exposure to blue light, poor posture and not maintaining an appropriate amount of distance between yourself and the your screen can contribute to screen-time related headaches.

There are things you can do the limit your risk (Getty Stock Images)

So, what can you do to stop headaches from screen-time?

According to guidance from MedicalNewsToday, there are six simple things you can implement in your daily life which can reduce your risk of getting headaches from digital eye strain.

These are:

• Taking regular screen breaks away from your laptop. The 20-20-20 is usually advised for this, which means you spend 20 seconds looking away from your screen every 20 minutes, making sure the screen is around 20 feet away during this time.
• Using appropriate background lighting. It is recommended that you use your device in indirect or shielded lighting and avoid having bright or glaring lights nearby.
• Wearing glasses with a blue light filter
• Avoiding unnecessary screen exposure
• Keeping an appropriate distance from the screen. A distance of 50–100 cm between the eyes and the screen is ideal, with the top of your screen at - or just below - eye level.
• Minimising glare and reflections on the screen

Minor changes to your daily life can help with digital eye strain (Getty Stock Images)

Screen related headaches and digital eyestrain can also be treated with over-the-counter pain relief medications and eye-drops, however it may be worth consulting your optician or GP if symptoms persevere or get worse.