Quick, who forgot to blink?

Today’s average adult consumes five times the amount of information daily than adults did fifty years ago. How are we able to take in so much information in such a small amount of time? 

According to the New York Times, up to four hours of an adult’s day are spent looking at TV screens, almost five hours staring at laptops, three hours using gaming devices, and more than four hours on smartphones.

With all of this screen usage, we have to consider the consequences that come from having our eyes glued to these devices.

Digital screens strain the eyes much more than reading print material, mainly because people tend to blink less while focused on screens. Concentrating the eyes on a computer screen or other digital displays reduces a person’s blink rate by a third to a half, which tends to dry out the eyes (according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology).  

Let’s take a look at the common case of a person working remotely through their laptop. The person will look approximately 30,000 times at their screen, keyboard, and documents. In that time, this tech savvy individual will blink about seven times per minute, compared to the average of 10-12 blinks from someone who encounters less screen time. 

“This decrease in blinking reduces the amount of tear film and causes visual discomfort” (Ocular Health Section). When tears become too scarce, the person will experience dry eye symptoms which can cause a stinging sensation in the eyes.
So, is your screen time causing you dry eye symptoms? Take EyecareLive’s simple, free dry eye quiz to find out now. Click here.

EyecareLive and Allergan Eye Care to Offer Telemedicine Option for Chronic Dry Eye Patients

Santa Clara, CA – EyecareLive announces a licensing agreement with Allergan, an AbbVie Company, to provide virtual consultations as an option to those suffering from symptoms of chronic dry eye disease. Beginning 1/5/2021, individuals seeking information on Allergan’s webpage for potential chronic dry eye disease treatment will have the option to engage in a telehealth visit through EyecareLive.

It is estimated that 35 million adults are affected by chronic dry eye disease. While many are forced to work from home and to rely on technology for meetings or social events, users can also turn to a virtual alternative for quick, convenient chronic dry eye disease care.

“At EyecareLive, we are continuously exploring opportunities that benefit our users and this symbiotic relationship will do just that,” said Raj Ramchandani, CEO of EyecareLive. “Patients will have access to dry eye care through a virtual consultation with an eye care provider who can recommend appropriate treatment and eye doctors will be connected to new patients effortlessly.”

If a user selects a virtual dry eye consultation on EyecareLive’s platform, the user will be prompted to provide basic information and answer a few short questions regarding their symptoms to score the severity.

Once complete, the user will be seen by an experienced eye care provider during a same-day virtual appointment. The provider will have the opportunity to review the user’s history, triage the user using video-chat, and select an appropriate treatment plan.

“With these changing times, we are excited to bring patients suffering from Chronic Dry Eye disease another option for which they can have a discussion with an eyecare professional,” said Glen Curran, Vice President, Anterior Segment, Allergan, an AbbVie Company.

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About EyecareLive:
EyecareLive is a platform created by eye doctors, for eye doctors, to meet the unique needs of eye care providers. The software’s capabilities reach beyond tradition telehealth and secure video chat. EyecareLive is a comprehensive digital solution that provides disease monitoring tools, virtual testing, including a visual acuity test, as well as built-in e-prescribe and e-commerce functionality, all while maintaining a commitment to eye doctors to implement virtual care safely and seamlessly. The company’s mission is to strengthen the doctor-patient relationship through innovative technologies. For more information, visit eyecarelive.com.