Let’s look at what we know about phone screens and eye health.
PHONES SCREENS & DIGITAL EYE STRAIN
One of the most common concerns caused by phone screens and digital devices is digital eye strain. Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is a group of symptoms caused by intense visual focusing on digital screens.
On average, Albertans spend 10.5 hours on digital devices every day, and 70% experience symptoms of digital eye strain. The most common symptoms of prolonged screen use are:
Eye strain
Dry eyes
Eye pain
Headaches
Blurry vision
Double vision
Watery eyes
Eye irritation
Most symptoms of digital eye strain cause temporary changes. However, symptoms can increase or continue without treatment, reducing visual abilities.
BLUE LIGHT FROM PHONE SCREENS
Blue light is shorter wavelength light. It isn’t new, and it doesn’t only come from phone screens. Even the sun emits blue light. You might be more familiar with UV rays and their damaging effects. Although blue light waves aren’t as powerful as UV waves, there are still many potential risks.
Prolonged exposure to blue light harms vision and eye health by damaging the retina. The retina, located in the back of the eye, is crucial for converting light into signals. Those signals are what our brain understands as vision.
Phone screens, and other digital devices, generate blue light differently than natural sources. As a result, the blue light scatters more in the eye, creating more visual noise. The overstimulation leads to eye strain.
Here’s how the scatter effect works: Imagine you’re watching a movie on a screen across the room. You can see the image and understand it. Then, imagine placing the screen directly in front of your eyes. The images might not make sense because you’re too close. The movie hasn’t changed, but your ability to perceive it is drastically different.
SLEEP AND EYE HEALTH
Another negative impact of phone screens and your eye health is how it changes sleep cycles. Blue light tells our bodies to be alert during the day and settle down for the night. Before the age of digital devices, the sun was our primary source of blue light, so it naturally set our sleep cycle.
Times have changed, and we now have access to blue light at night and in the palm of our hand. So when we use our phones in the evening or at night, the blue light tells our brain to stay alert instead of falling asleep.
Sleep has multiple benefits for our overall health, such as:
Restoring energy
Repairing tissues
Maintaining body functions
Processing new information (brain)
Getting enough quality sleep helps maintain our health and losing sleep interferes with healing. Sleep deprivation is harmful to our eyes and can increase our risk for dry eye, irritation, and infection.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep or are restless at night, late-evening phone use might be the cause.
A phone laying face up on a table outside with glare reflecting off the screen, making it difficult to read what's displayed
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR EYES
Protecting your eyes from digital eye strain and blue light begins with changing lifestyle habits. Here is what you can do at home or work to reduce your risk of eye damage
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