The COVID pandemic has led to a growing number of eye issues over the last two years, according to the results of a new consumer survey conducted by MyVision.org, a group of expert ophthalmologists and optometrists whose purpose is to provide trusted information on eye health and vision. The organization polled more than 1,121 people who wear glasses and/or contacts to get feedback on their eye health and eye habits throughout the past few years. Survey respondents ranged in age from 18 to 80 with an average age of 40. Of the respondents, 49 percent were male and 49 percent female. MyVision found that many people are having vision problems, but are putting off going to the doctor. Here are some highlights from the survey.

Two out of five people admit their eyesight has gotten worse since the onset of the pandemic. Nearly 70 percent report having more trouble seeing further away, and almost one-third are dealing with issues reading up close. Since March 2020, three out of 10 people have gotten stronger prescriptions for their glasses or contacts.

But of those struggling to see, many are not ready to seek help. One out of three admits to not getting their eyes checked over the last two years. In fact, 25 percent say they’ve actually avoided getting an eye test, even though they know they need one.

Masks have also impacted how people wear glasses. More than one in 10 (13 percent) say they wear contacts now instead of glasses, purely because of masks. Meanwhile, 25 percent of respondents say they wear their glasses more because of remote work.

Technology has taken over workplaces in America. Almost one in four (38 percent) say they spend more than eight hours a day looking at screens for their jobs. That comes with a cost. 29 percent say they feel that working from home has made their eyesight worse.

The top issues facing people who work remotely include eye strain, fatigue, headaches, and trouble sleeping. One out of every three surveyed adds that their eyes have started twitching while looking at screens.

Some people are trying to combat those issues. 30 percent said they either own blue light glasses or are planning to buy some soon. Others say they wear blue light glasses specifically to help with personal or work screen time. A small group of respondents wants the glasses just to be “trendy.”

In addition to long screen use at work, people are adding to that strain by also looking at screens in their free time. The majority of people (27 percent) estimate they spend an additional five or more hours each day looking at screens for personal use. 79 percent admit to juggling multiple screens at once; meaning they’re watching TV and looking at their phone at the same time.

Some respondents are trying their best to cut back on screen time. One out of 10 has set limits for screen use on their phones. Overwhelmingly, 90 percent of people are setting limits on social media apps. One out of four people is cutting back on binge-watching and limiting their use of streaming services.

Almost half of the people (46 percent) set their limit to be less than an hour, however, others are allowing themselves more time on these apps. Nearly one out of 10 (9 percent) say their time limit is more than two hours.

See tomorrow’s Data Feed for additional survey highlights.