How to Reduce iPhone Eye Strain

Changing Display Settings

Schedule Night Shift on your iPhone. Night Shift changes your screen display to a warmer color temperature at night to help you get a better sleep. Blue light is a major cause of eye strain from digital screens, and a warmer display will reduce the amount of blue light. You can schedule Night Shift to automatically turn on and turn off every day between certain hours from your Display & Brightness settings. If you haven't used Night Shift before, this article will guide you through the setup process. Alternatively, you can manually turn on Night Shift. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen, and tap the Night Shift button in your Control Center to turn it on/off.

Adjust your screen brightness. If your screen display is a lot brighter or darker than your surroundings, swipe up from the bottom of your screen and change your brightness. Adjust the brightness slider in Control Center about the same as the light level in the environment around you.

Increase your display contrast. Your iPhone has an option to darken display colors and increase contrast in the Accessibility settings. A higher contrast will make edges more discernible in text and shapes, and help your eyes focus more easily on your screen.

Increase your text size. A larger font will make it easier to focus your eyes and read text on your iPhone's screen. Try changing your Text Size from Display & Brightness settings to a bigger font. You can also enable larger text size in your Accessibility settings. If you need help finding your Display or Accessibility settings, this article guides you through the whole process.

Use anti-reflective screen coating. Consider buying matte screen protector film as an easy fix to minimize screen glare. Minimizing glare will make it easier for your eyes to focus on your screen display. Glassy protector film will still give you screen glare.

Developing Healthy Habits

Take a break. The best way to prevent eye strain is not to overuse your eyes. Try the 20/20/20 method by taking a 20-second break from your screen every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet away.

Hold your iPhone farther away. Maintain at least a 16-18 inch distance between your eyes and your screen.

Wipe your iPhone's screen with a dry cloth. Dust will cause screen glare, and you can minimize it by regularly cleaning your screen with a dry cloth. Don't use a wet cloth. Water might damage your device.

Make sure your prescription is correct. If you're wearing prescription glasses, see your doctor to make sure you don't need new a prescription.

Consider having a comprehensive eye exam. If symptoms like headaches, blurry vision, and dry eyes persist, schedule an appointment with your doctor to rule out vision problems.