There’s no denying that we have become obsessed with our gadgets. Unlocking your phone every five minutes ‘just to check’, bringing it with you into the bathroom or even giving it to your children to keep them quiet.
In the United States of America, almost 70% of adults have experienced digital eye strain due to the increase in the use of digital devices.
Digital eye strain is physical discomfort that you feel after staring at a digital screen–phone, tablet, laptop or television–for more than two hours.
If digital eye strain can be felt even after two hours, working on your laptop for six or more hours should be hurting you more!
The longer you look at your screen, the more eye strain you may have and this could lead to headaches, double vision and even neck pain.
Other than that, when we’re staring at screens for hours on end, we tend to blink a lot less. When you blink less, your eyes will dry out which could cause burning and itching.
STOP WATCHING TV OR YOU’LL WRECK YOUR VISION!
Did your parents ever say this to you when you were little? Or do you find yourself saying this to your children? No cause for alarm but there might be a grain of truth in that statement. According to ‘Ophthalmology’, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cases of myopia or nearsightedness has been increasing. In fact, in Asia, up to 90% of teenagers and adults are nearsighted!
In addition to genetics, how we use our eyes when we’re growing up can affect our risk of developing myopia. Now, there is no direct correlation between digital screens and myopia but hear us out.
Spending time outdoors especially during early childhood can help slow the progression of myopia. A child’s eyes continue to develop until they reach about 18 years of age so during this time, the distance between the lens and retina is still changing.
If your child’s eyes are glued to the television, computer or phone all day and not going outside, he or she is at high risk of developing myopia. In addition to the risk of myopia, this could also increase the risk of childhood obesity due to a sedentary lifestyle.
To help minimise these risks in children, make it a point to limit screen time. Designate the weekend to outdoor activities and go hiking, cycling at the park or even just walking outside in the sunshine. In addition to helping your child’s vision, it is a great way to bond with your family!
20-20-20
As mentioned before, there is no direct link between screen use and myopia but prolonged screen time has detrimental effects.
High-energy short-wavelength blue and violet light emitted by electronic devices may affect your vision and even prematurely age the eyes.
Overexposure to blue light may lead to eye strain and discomfort at first but as time goes by, it could lead to age-related macular degeneration which could cause blindness!
To protect your child’s developing vision and prevent eye strain for yourself, practise the 20-20-20 rule when using any form of technology. This can also be done at work. Take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away.
Eye Exercises To Prevent Eye Fatigue
- Blink more. Staring at a screen all day with minimal blinking can cause dryness. Make a conscious effort to blink more.
- Rub your hands together until the palms are warm then place them over your closed eyes for a minute or two and enjoy the warmth.
- Roll your eyes but make sure nobody, especially your boss is looking. Cross them briefly for a few seconds then roll them to release tension.
- Move your eyeballs from the rightward corner then gradually to the left. Our tiny eye muscles become more active and healthy from this shifting.
Leave a Reply