Smartphones have long become an integral part of our life. We communicate, run our business, pay for purchases, play, find out the latest news, and make friends with the help of phones.
Research undertaken in the UK found that the average adult spends from 6 to 7 hours a day in front of digital screens.
However, the widespread digitalization of society also has its negative consequences. A lot of users often complain that their eyes hurt because of the phone screen.
How to reduce the burden on eyesight and protect your health with frequent use of mobile gadgets?
First of all, let’s ask ourselves a simple question – “Does a mobile phone spoil eyesight?”
Numerous medical studies state unpleasant statistics. They show that long-term fixation of our sight on a computer, tablet, or smartphone screen close to the eyes is a critical level of stress for the organs of vision, both in children and adolescents and in adults.
The problem is that using the phone, a person reflexively reduces the frequency of blinking, which leads to the most negative consequences.
The main danger points are:
- insufficient hydration of the eye surface;
- deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the cornea;
- increase level of intraocular pressure;
- high level of mental workload.
The process of blinking allows our brains to reboot by getting rid of unnecessary information and taking the edge. By reducing the frequency of blinking, we thereby prevent the brain from relaxing, reducing the efficiency of its daily work.
A research team of scientists from University College London found out that blinking acts as a kind of toggle switch. It can turn our consciousness on and turn it off for a while during work.
The problem of smartphone safety for human health is obvious, but how to preserve eyesight after the age of 40?
The most obvious option is to abandon the use of mobile technology, but in the conditions of modern society, this is impossible. We have prepared some simple recommendations for you to reduce eye strain and keep their functionality as long as possible.
20 seconds rule.
Our first advice is that you have to take a break every 20 minutes after working, playing, or just browsing websites on your phone, tablet, or laptop. You should look for 20 seconds at an object located 6-7 meters away from you.
This simple exercise defocuses your eyes, relaxes the eye muscles, and relieves tension. It does not take much time and can be adopted by office workers, housewives, gamers, and ordinary smartphone users.
Pay attention to lighting.
Lighting contrast is an essential factor in determining the degree of influence of smartphones in the eyes. The active use of a brightly lit screen in a dark room has a devastating effect on vision. Try to turn on the minimum light in the room at night or limit the time you use gadgets.
Simple limiting.
Some of our activities can be prohibited for use on a smartphone in everyday life and at work. For example, checking the e-mail or instant messengers, surfing social networks, or searching for the desired product on online platforms should be done only on a computer or laptop.
Choose the function that is not critical for you urgently, and work out your rule. In this way, you will reduce the time of interaction with your gadgets and relieve eye strain without affecting work or rest.
Chat without a phone.
One of the unpleasant habits of some of our friends and acquaintances is looking into the phone during real communication. This habit annoys most people and does not add popularity.
Try to give your companion maximum attention, and meet more with friends, relatives, buddies, and just acquaintances in real life. Remember that no gadget can replace the warmth of personal communication, a smile, or a kind word.
Make the font bigger.
The smaller the font size on the screen, the more eye strain. Try to increase the letter size, if not Huge, then Large.
When choosing between a website in a browser and its mobile application, always stick to the latter. They are better adapted for use on smartphones. It is really uncomfortable to use sites that do not have a mobile version.
Distance is everything.
According to statistics, the distance between the eyes and the computer screen in an adult is about 50-60 centimeters, between the eyes and a magazine or newspaper – 40-50 centimeters but for a smartphone, it is only about 20 centimeters.
The smaller this distance, the greater the amplitude of movement our eyeballs need to make to focus the pupil at the desired point on the screen.
Besides, when we look into the distance, our eyes are directed almost parallel to each other, and when focusing at close range, they turn inward. Do not bring the screen too close to your eyes.
There are no universal recommendations, but doctors advise to choose a distance within the range of 30 to 40 centimeters.
“Eye protection” function on the phone.
One of the most striking factors for our eyes is the blue light of a working smartphone screen. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and carries too much energy, which is damaging to the sensitive surface of the eyes.
To minimize the negative impact of this factor the “Eye Protection” function is used on smartphones and tablets. Thanks to it, you can reduce the amount and intensity of blue spectrum radiation for the prevention of the eyes.
You can activate the function through the basic settings of your gadget. It is displayed on the device screen with a special icon in the form of an eye.
Don’t forget to blink!
Our most important recommendation is to blink as often as possible!
According to research, mobile users blink about three times less often than usual while interacting with the screens of their gadgets. Dryness of the surface of the eye leads to the disappearance of the protective lubricating film that protects the eyeball, deficiency of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, and a high level of brain fatigue.
A simple program installed on your smartphone or tablet allows you to correct the situation. It works in the reminder mode and makes it possible for you to blink in time, even with continued contact with the screen, hard work, or communication on social networks.
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