By Jeff Hogan, anchor/reporter, and Rick Armstrong, photojournalist

Durham, N.C. — Some students and their parents feel like virtual learning has been a headache. It’s not just technical glitches — students are actually getting migraines from increased screen time.

Karis Hale, 16, had been looking forward to classes at The Durham School of the Arts, or DSA.

“I’m a very artsy person. I’ve always been a very visual learner,” said Hale.

Hale said she is still excited about school even as she starts the year in her own bedroom using a Chromebook laptop provided by the district.

Hale’s mom, Cindie Cavender, said DSA asked students to use the Chromebooks instead of their personal laptops because the Chromebook is preloaded with software kids need to learn.

The software works, but since the first week of classes, Hale has struggled with glitches on Zoom, where students and teachers meet.

“Zoom does have a lot of nationwide crashes just because it is a whole bunch of students on the same server at the same time,” Hale said.

The more concerning issue for Hale is the small laptop screen which she believes is the cause behind her eye strain and frequent headaches.

“I think it’s the computer light,” she said. “I just don’t think students are used to looking at a screen for about seven hours a day, five days a week,” said Hale.

Her mom hears the same problem from other parents in their class Facebook group.

“They are seeing an uptick in headaches in their family and that their child had migraines,” said Cavender.

Optometrists recommend frequent breaks from staring at a screen. Some recommend special “Relax Glasses,” but Hale says some of her classmates are investing in a lesser-researched option called “blue light glasses.”

Hale and her mom said it’s been a rough start, but they’re hopeful.

“We’ll get it done, but I think it’s a better alternative than sending them to school,” said Cavender, referring to fears of COVID-19 exposure risk.

Hale says her school grants students hour-long breaks between each class, but that’s when she normally does homework on her laptop.

Eye health experts also recommend something called the 20/20/20 rule — taking screen breaks every 20 minutes and focusing on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Students and adults can also be more conscious about blinking frequently while in front of computer or television screens.