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Dry Eye

How Your Computer or Phone Might Make Your Dry Eye Worse

Taking breaks from screens can help give your eyes a rest.

Lauren Smith, MABrian Clista, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Brian Clista, MD
Updated on August 5, 2025
Featuring Danielle Trief, MDReviewed by Brian Clista, MD | August 6, 2025

If you spend a long period of time on a computer or looking at your phone, you may notice yourself rubbing your eyes or squinting. This is known as digital eye strain

If you also live with dry eye disease, looking at your screen for a long time can worsen your symptoms, according to Danielle Trief, MD, Ophthalmologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Brian Clista, MD
Reviewed by:
Brian Clista, MD
Dr. Clista is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He previously served as a National Health Service Corporation Scholar in the inner city of Pittsburgh for 11 years.

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