Smartphones have become inseparable objects in work, study and entertainment. However, according to ophthalmologists, using phones for a long time and incorrectly is causing eye problems to increase significantly, especially in children and young people.
Dr. Digvijay Singh, a senior ophthalmologist at Gurgaon (India), said that mobile phones do not cause permanent eye damage, but screen abuse can lead to many disorders that directly affect vision, sleep and quality of life.
Eye strain due to electronic devices
This is the most common problem when using a phone for a long time. Focusing on looking at a small screen at close range for a long time causes eye muscles to work continuously, easily leading to eye strain.
Common symptoms include headache, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, double vision or a feeling of tightness around the eye sockets. According to experts, reducing the frequency of blinking while surfing the phone is the main cause of this condition worsening.
Dry eyes
Using your phone for too long reduces the number of natural blinks, causing tears to evaporate faster. The consequence is that eyes are prone to dryness, redness, burning, stickiness such as foreign objects and reflexive tears. If not adjusted in time, dry eyes can affect reading, driving and working with computers.
Sleep disorders due to blue light
The phone screen emitting blue light can inhibit the hormone melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Using the phone in the evening or before bed easily causes difficulty sleeping, insufficient sleep and prolonged fatigue. According to Dr. Singh, prolonged sleep disorders not only affect the eyes but also negatively affect mental health.
Progressive nearsightedness in children and adolescents
Children and adolescents using too many phones, exercising less outdoors, increases the risk of developing nearsightedness. The habit of constantly looking close causes eyeballs to develop abnormally, causing nearsightedness to increase rapidly over time. If not controlled, severe nearsightedness can increase the risk of eye complications in adulthood.
Eye irritation and light sensitivity
Exposure to high-intensity blue light, especially when using a phone in a dark room or leaving the screen brightness too high, can cause eye irritation. Users are prone to glare, light sensitivity, blinking a lot and faster eye strain.
How to protect your eyes when using your phone
Experts recommend using electronic devices in a controlled manner. Users need to reduce screen viewing time continuously, maintain appropriate distance and apply the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look out about 6 meters for 20 seconds.
In addition, you should use blue light filtering mode, avoid using your phone before bed, and have regular eye exams to detect eye problems early.
