Managing Screen Time with a Vestibular Disorder
Vestibular disorders are associated with a number of different symptoms: dizziness, vertigo, light sensitivity, motion sensitivity, nausea, and fatigue to name a few. Figuring out how to approach screen time when you or your child are not feeling well can be incredibly challenging. As a vestibular physiotherapist, I often hear that time on a computer, tablet or phone hasn’t been going smoothly. With so much of our work and school activities being digital, screen sensitivity can drastically limit what someone can get done each day.
Working on improving your screen time tolerance can be challenging if you don’t have guidance from a vestibular therapist on how to help yourself feel more comfortable. To help this process go more smoothly, here are my tips for managing screen time with a vestibular disorder:
Manage your screen’s blue light
Use a blue light filter or wear blue light blocking glasses to minimize eye strain. Most devices have a “night mode” which can be used as a way to decrease your blue light exposure and improve your comfort while using screens.
Have good lighting when on screens
Use task lighting around your screens, especially when it’s dark outside. Keep the lights on when watching TV, and consider sitting in the light of a lamp while using your computer, tablet or phone. When this isn’t possible, dim your screen’s brightness to help you feel more comfortable.
Take regular breaks
Set a timer for regular breaks while working on a screen. This will prevent you from working on a screen for longer than you intended, help to minimize symptom aggravation, and allow you to perform multiple screen sessions each day.
A common guideline is the 20-20-20 rule. After 20 minutes look at a target 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
If you’re not able to tolerate a 20-minute session yet, start with 5-15 minutes of screen time (symptoms allowing) followed by a minimum 5-minute break. As long as symptoms have settled after your break, you can try an additional session.
Make font sizes larger
Increase the magnification on your screen or make the font size of text larger. This will mean you see less text at one time, but will allow you to read the information on the screen more easily. Making text larger will make it easier on your eyes, reduce eye fatigue, and help you feel more comfortable.
Limit scrolling when possible
Scrolling can be very triggering, especially for individuals who are experiencing visual sensitivity. To help you feel more comfortable, use page down and page up keyboard shortcuts instead of scrolling up or down on your screen.
On a Mac? Use the Fn-Up Arrow and Fn-Down Arrow combinations.
I hope you find these tips help your screen time go more smoothly. Read more about vestibular physiotherapy here.
If you’re interested in speaking more about how vestibular physiotherapy can help you or your child feel better click here to contact me or use the button below to book a free consult call.
Last updated: October 4, 2023
