EYE DAMAGE due to excessive MOBILE USAGE is real! Get to know how

‘Shrishti, a 4-year-old girl, suffered severe Dry Eyes due to excessive use of mobile phone. She used to engage in prolonged screen timings as her parents used to be busy with office work. Initially, she needed glasses but then had to undergo major eye surgery.’

Well, with the increased use of smartphones in our daily lives, kids and adults have begun to wonder, “Are there eye problems due to mobile usage?” While the impact of mobile screens on the eyes is still being researched, some health risks are already known.

Smartphone Side Effects on Eyes due to BLUE LIGHT

Does the blue light from your phone harm your eyes?

Some people believe that using a phone can cause eye problems only when it emits white light, not blue light. It is not entirely accurate because both white and blue light can cause eye damage. Because our eyes aren’t very good at blocking blue light, it can harm them.

It may cause retinal damage. Blue light enters the eye and travels to the retina via the cornea and lens. This can harm the human retina and cause vision problems over time.

It may cause sleep disturbances. For example, it can disrupt your sleep pattern if you expose your eyes to blue light from your phone before bedtime.

It has the potential to cause cataracts. Long-term phone use has also been linked to eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration, according to studies. In the United States, macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of vision loss. Although Cataracts are a thing of the older age but if it occurs at a younger age, you may easily count it under one of the worst mobile side effects on eyes.

It has the potential to cause digital eye strain. Digital eye strain is a condition caused by long-hours use of digital devices such as cell phones.

EYE STRAIN may further cause:

Reduced Blinking: Blinking helps your eyes redistribute moisture and protects them from drying out by acting as a natural defence against dust and sunlight. A person blinks 15 times per minute.  But when you stare at your smartphone, that number drops by half, giving your eyes much less time to recover.

Squinting: While you may not mind reading smaller text on a smartphone screen, your eyes certainly do. Squinting at on-screen text and videos causes eyestrain and blurred vision by overworking the muscles around your eyes, neck, and shoulders.

Excessive Glare: Because our eyes aren’t designed to stare directly at light for long periods of time, the glare from your phone screen can cause eye strain. Using your phone to check your emails or social media in the dark only exacerbates eye problems due to mobile.

Other Problems

• Headaches
• Eyeball pain
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Watery or dry eyes
• Double vision or blurred vision
• Itchy or burning eyes

Thus, it is important that you consult an eye specialist without much delay. If you are in Mumbai, and you are looking for the best eye doctor in Thane, feel free to to contact us.

What do RESEARCH Studies say?

According to preliminary research, the blue light emanated by our devices could be a cause of increasing cases of macular degeneration. When the photoreceptor cells in our eyes die off, macular degeneration occurs. 

The research also says that blue light from our phones activates a molecule in our retina, which causes chemical reactions that damage and kill photoreceptor cells. Going further, if this fact is established with greater evidences, this could be one of the most dangerous mobile side effects on eyes.

What PRECAUTIONS could you take?

With mobiles becoming an invincible part of our lives and lifestyles, it is almost impossible to detach them completely, but we can surely reduce the chances of eye damage:

Reduce Glare: Your smartphone’s brightness setting is probably much higher than it needs to be. Reducing screen glare makes phone use more comfortable for your eyes and can also help you save battery life. Simply go into the settings on your phone and lower the brightness to a more comfortable level.

Adjust the Text Size: In case you need to squint to read something on your phone, try increasing the default font size to make the on-screen text bigger and easier to see.

Take Breaks: This is the most important suggestion we have. Unfortunately, it’s also the most difficult to follow. Taking breaks from your smartphone can reduce the amount of strain on your eyes significantly. Spend at least 20 seconds looking away from your smartphone for every 20 minutes spent on it. Try to focus on something in the distance for the entire 20 seconds (20 feet away or more).

Wear tinted or blue-block glasses: Mobile side effects on eyes could include vision problems, but wearing blue glasses can help. To shield the eyes from overexposure to the rays, several studies recommend wearing blue-block or tinted eyeglasses. When you walk down the street, it works similarly to a pair of sunglasses.

Best Eye Hospital in Thane is always at your aid

If you or your child encounters any of the above symptoms caused due to mobile side effects on the eyes, do not hesitate to contact us right away. With our highly-qualified and skilled doctors in-house, Suruchi Eye Hospital and Lasik Centre fosters a culture of eye care excellence here. Therefore, you can rely on us for precise diagnosis and an apt line of treatment with utmost diligence.