iPhone use leading to eye conditions, says Canberra optometrist

"Most people are looking at their iPhone way too close," the Simpson Optometry owner said.

"I don't know statistically how many are coming in, whether it's one in four or one in 10 with dry eyes and headaches.

"But tired eyes, I could probably relate that to at least 20 per cent."

Mr Simpson joins 99 per cent of optometrists surveyed by Eyezen concerned about the number of patients presenting at their practice with eye conditions due to using digital devices.

Nine in 10 patients presented with eye strain, while 78 per cent of patients had dry eyes and 72 per cent headaches.

Other common conditions included stinging, tired or itching eyes, discomfort caused by screen glare and progressive difficulty in focusing on a device.

Eighty per cent of optometrists believed the patients most affected were aged between 20 and 40, and one in 10 said children younger than 12 were in the high-risk category.

Mr Simpson recommended people limit the amount of time they spend in front of a screen and ensure their phone was a safe distance from their eyes.

He suggested people already wearing glasses consider a blue light coating to minimise its potential effects.

"If you don't [hold your phone close to your face] for a few days, within a few days you've recovered unless you've damaged your macular," he said.

The jury is out on the long-term effect of blue light on eyesight, with research yet to produce a conclusive result.

"They all agree excessive blue light is damaging, but how much is where there is a bit of debate," Mr Simpson said.

Eyezen surveyed 103 optometrists across Australia.