An increase in technology has had a positive effect on society in many ways, but have you ever thought about the possible link between technology and eyesight?
Recently, we started to question whether our mobile phones could have been a contributing factor towards our eyesight deteriorating. It makes sense, as the majority of the day people are generally focusing on a screen that is only a few inches away from their face. We weren’t surprised to find out that 25% of millennials check their phones over 100 times a day and 50% check it more than 50 times a day, which some of us at The Stress Management Society are definitely guilty of.
Our daily routines typically involve checking our mobile phones way too much. From turning our mobile alarms off first thing, to finishing the night tucked up in bed, in the pitch black, scrolling through your timeline one final time. We had never thought about the extent of how much your eyes must strain when focusing on a bright screen, in a dark room.
Add to this the fact that people often spend the majority of their working day on a computer. It is said that spending too much time on screens such as your mobile phone can cause; headaches, migraines, eye irritation, redness and dryness. Optician, Andy Hepworth, has also suggested that “Blue violet light is potentially hazardous and toxic to the back of your eyes” it puts you at a higher risk of getting ‘Macular Degeneration’ later on in life, which often leads to sight loss. This blue light can also disrupt sleep patterns and make us moodier. “It’s the combination of not blinking enough and bringing the device closer than you normally look at objects – it strains your eyes, So over a long period of time it can potentially damage your eyes” It is also thought that staring at your phone too much, can cause near sightedness, Myopia, where the eyes struggle to bend light the right way so that you can properly see everything.
It would be ridiculous to advise people to stop using mobile phones, however try to be mindful about your usage, and decreasing it over time.
Here are some tips to help you to reduce the amount of time you spend on your mobile phone:
– Your phone is not an alarm clock, so do not use it as one! By doing this, you are encouraging yourself to check your phone ‘one last time’ before falling to sleep and as soon as you wake up.
– Phone free moments: Ensure you have time throughout the day where you do not check your phone. For example, many people have changed their morning routines to decrease the amount of time they spend on their mobile phones, turn your phone off an hour before bedtime and put your phone in a draw during mealtimes.
– Turn off your notifications for a few hours and do not check your phone until you have accomplished a little goal.
– Discover your habits. When you feel like using your phone the most, use the time to do something else. For example, read a book, listen to music. There are existing apps such as; ‘Checky’ which tells you what apps you are most addicted to and how long you spend on your phone each day.
