Spending too much time in front of the screen is a common obstacle in this digital age and can cause eye strain for some people. However, the chances of permanent vision damage are low. About 80% of American adults say they use digital devices for more than two hours a day, and nearly 67% use two or more devices at the same time. There is no research to show that the constant use of technology causes permanent damage to vision.
However, looking at bright screens for hours on end can cause smaller-scale problems, said Dr. Richard Shugarman, a volunteer professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Ophthalmological Institute at the University of Miami. When you stare at a screen for too long, the eye strain that occurs often causes tension headaches. This is because the darkness of the text, in contrast to the bright screen, causes the eyes to work harder to concentrate and causes muscle spasms in the temples.
Doing simple things, such as adjusting the brightness of your devices and the distances at which you view them, can reduce your chances of suffering from eye fatigue, dry eyes, sensitivity to light, and even retinal damage and possible cataracts. Our site is called Good Eyes for a reason. The Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center is there to maintain overall eye health, as well as for LASIK or cataract surgery. Most of us spend several hours a day using laptops, smartphones, or iPads.
Since much of our day consists of looking at a very bright screen, have you ever stopped to think about how all that screen time affects your eyes? No published research to date has demonstrated that the use of technology or screens is harmful to eye health.
