Taking the time to walk down the street and observe other people,a majority of them are looking down at their phone, tablet, video game or e-reader. Adults, adolescents and children are immersed in this trend, and you may be one of the many. Eye doctors would like you to know the potential impact technology has on your vision.
Eye Strain
For computer workers and kids alike, all of that time focused on a screen can cause trouble in the form of eye strain. Spending hours a day doing “near tasks” and looking at tiny screens is likely to lead to headaches, burning or watery eyes, dry eye, and trouble concentrating. Anytime you must do close-up work for a long period of time, take frequent eye breaks. Eye doctors recommend the 20-20-20 rule, where for every 20 minutes you must look at a screen, you take 20 seconds to look at a point 20 feet away. Know when it is time to call it a day too, since being overworked amplifies the problem and will make you less productive.
Eye Fatigue
Eye fatigue sometimes occurs in conjunction with eye strain, but can be linked to a lack of sleep or spending long hours doing intense tasks. Regarding technology, people’s brain are stimulated by the light emitted from the device. Long after the body is tired and ready for rest, the brain is still excited and active. Sleep is disrupted, and blurry vision, redness, tearing, and discomfort are the eye fatigue symptoms that result. Turn off electronics an hour before you want to sleep. Avoid sleeping with the television on, since the flickering light will also trigger brain activity. The more quality sleep you get, the better your eyes (and the rest of you) will feel.
Vision Trouble
Last but not least, spending too much time with electronics is a problem that could lead to nearsightedness. Many tech-addicts fail to spend time outside in natural light, which ultimately causes their eyes to be limited in function as they develop.
Technology is a great tool but should be used sensibly. Consult with your Phoenix eye doctor for more information on eye safety and today’s technology.
