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Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Population Health Research Brief Series

A Public Health Side Effect of the Coronavirus Pandemic: Screen Time-Related Eye Strain and Eye Fatigue

Mary E. Helander, Stephanie A. Cushman, Shannon M. Monnat

May 2020

Has your screen use increased since the start of COVID-19? You’re not alone. COVID-19 social distancing and stay-at-home orders have increased the time we are spending looking at screens. While these technologies help us stay connected and enable us to get the resources we need, too much screen time can lead to eye strain, headaches, and neck and back pain.

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health