In our current society, screens are taking up more and more time in our daily days. Considering the recent pandemic, this has been exasperated with online learning and extensive video conferences for work.
As students return to class with face to face learning or virtual learning, we are depending more on gadgets to finish ordinary undertakings.
According to the Washington Post, 50 percent of teens admit that they feel addicted to their mobile device, and 27 percent of their parents admit they can’t put down their smartphone either.
The fact is that eyes get stressed from ongoing, extensive exposure to screens, including cellphones, tablets and TVs. Many of us spend more time looking at screens than sleeping. The average American clocks 444 minutes of screen time (7.4 hours), compared to 317 minutes for Italians and 540 minutes for Indonesians. It’s easy to see that dependence on digital devices is a worldwide problem.
Our eyes are not engineered to sit in front of a screen all day, which can lead to vision issues at an earlier age. Over 50 percent of people who work in front of a computer screen experience a condition called digital eye strain. Common symptoms of digital eye strain include eye fatigue, dry eye, irritated or itchy eyes, red eyes, and headaches. These symptoms are thought to be caused by overexposure to high-energy visible light or “blue light” emitted by digital devices. Blue light has a wavelength of 380 nm to 500 nm, which means it is one of the shortest, highest-energy wavelengths that humans can perceive. These waves penetrate deep into the eyes and create a glaring effect, which results in irritation and strain.
The Eye care specialists at Belmont Eye Center can treat the symptoms of digital eye strain through procedures such as No-Cut LASIK eye surgery. This type of surgery requires little downtime for recovery and is painless.
