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Eye Health: How are digital devices affecting your vision, causing severe headaches?How do digital devices affect your eye health?digital eye strainblue light exposureblink lessincreased risk of myopiaPoor posture and ergonomicsWays to protect your eyestake regular breaksMake sure the room is well litget your had regular eye examsreduce blue light
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Eye Health: How are digital devices affecting your vision, causing severe headaches?
As we are rapidly moving into the digital age, most people are becoming increasingly dependent on digital devices. From television to computer and smartphone screens, there are more ways than ever for children to interact with digital technology in both education and play. But since most of the people spend too much time looking at screens and if so, it is having a huge impact on the eyes. Read further to know in detail.
Although most symptoms of digital eye strain cause temporary changes, without early treatment they can seriously impair visual abilities.
Phones, television screens and computers have come a long way from being just simple communication devices to playing vital roles in our everyday lives. While we spend most of our time using digital devices to know what is happening around the world or for leisure, screens are harming our eyesight and vision.
It’s no secret that the digital world has completely transformed our physical and mental health – with our eyes bearing the brunt of how technological advancements have progressed. According to experts, continuous use of phone screens causes digital strain on the eyes, which causes the following symptoms in the long run:
- dry eyes
- Headache and Migraine
- blurry vision
- double vision
- watery eyes
- eye irritation
While most symptoms of digital eye strain cause temporary changes, without early treatment or persistence, they can severely impair visual abilities.
How do digital devices affect your eye health?
According to Dr. Mayuri Patil, ophthalmologist at Ruby Hall Clinic, when you continuously look at multiple devices, it has a significant impact on eye health in several ways:
digital eye strain
Digital eye strain refers to eye discomfort and fatigue caused by staring at a smartphone screen for long periods of time. “Prolonged exposure to screens can lead to symptoms such as dryness, irritation and difficulty concentrating, commonly known as digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome,” said Dr Patil.
blue light exposure
Blue light is short wavelength light. Although this is not new and it does not just come from phone screens, there are many potential risks. “The devices emit blue light, which can disrupt sleep patterns,” he said.
Prolonged exposure to blue light causes damage to the retina, which is located at the back of the eye and is important for converting light into signals.
blink less
You blink less, or don’t blink at all, while watching your favorite show. “Blink rate can reduce by an average of 66 percent, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and burning,” Dr. Patil said.
increased risk of myopia
Extended close-up work, including device use, is associated with a higher risk of developing myopia (nearsightedness), especially in children.
Poor posture and ergonomics
Using multiple devices can lead to awkward positions that cause neck and back strain, which can indirectly affect eye health.
Ways to protect your eyes
To minimize these effects, Dr. Patil recommends:
take regular breaks
Your eyes aren’t designed to stare at something directly in front of you all day, especially a digital screen. With the 20/20/20 rule, you give your eyes much-needed rest during long and extended workdays.
The rule is as follows – if you look at a screen for 20 minutes, you have to look at something at least 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. However, the longer you look away from your screen, the better!
Make sure the room is well lit
Always ensure proper lighting, use glasses with blue block filters, and adjust screen settings to reading mode to reduce glare and blue light exposure.
get your had regular eye exams
Regular eye exams check the health of your eyes and ensure that any problems you are having are nothing more than normal eye strain.
reduce blue light
Blue light has a short wavelength and is known to harm the eyes. Use blue light glasses in front of a computer to avoid harmful blue light. It is ideal for long periods of screen use.
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