Why Staring at Screens can Cause Migraines

CLEVELAND – If you’ve ever found yourself getting a migraine from staring at a screen too long, you’re not alone.

“For a lot of migraine sufferers or patients who have migraines in general, screen time plays a very important role in being a common trigger, among many other triggers that these patients are aware of,” explained Emad Estemalik, MD, headache specialist for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Estemalik said part of the reason why is many migraine sufferers have photosensitivity to light.

The combination of staring at a bright screen plus the overhead lights in a room can become a trigger.

He said staring at screens, especially for long periods of time, can also cause headaches, which are much less debilitating than migraines but of course are just as uncomfortable to deal with.

So, what can someone do to help prevent these kinds of issues?

He recommends adjusting the lights in the room you’re in, if possible, and also taking frequent breaks.

And that doesn’t mean getting off your computer and then switching to your phone. You should be taking a complete break from screens.

That same advice applies in the evenings after work too.

“I really think if we can moderate that amount as well and really minimize screen time, phone time, especially in the 1-2 hours before someone goes to sleep, I think that’ll make a tremendous difference,” said Dr. Estemalik.

Another tip to consider is getting your eyesight checked to make sure you are wearing the right lenses and don’t have any other eye issues that could be contributing to migraines.