Is the reason why I need correctional glasses because I’m staring at a screen too much?

While prolonged computer use can cause eye strain in adults, there is no evidence that it will change or worsen nearsightedness (myopia). In our 40s and older, it may appear we need progressively stronger reading glasses, but this is going to happen anyway and is not an effect of time spent at a computer.

In children, however, it does appear that prolonged use of computer screens may well hasten or increase the development of nearsightedness although the mechanism for this is not known.

Written by J. Trevor Woodhams, M.D. - Chief of Surgery, Woodhams Eye Clinic