Night caution for smart phone users
Are you a frequent mobile phone user? If your screen time takes place primarily in the dark you run a potential risk of developing serious vision problems years down the line, warn medical experts. We spoke to Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr. H. Palihakkara about this, and what you can do to minimise such damage.
The biggest problem with using mobile phones (or other screen based devices) in the dark is that it focuses the light rays from your device directly on to your retina, says Dr. Palihakkara. Moreover, “it’s not like you’re reading a book,” notes Dr. Palihakkara. “The pixels on your screen are constantly changing and your eye has to refocus very rapidly. Every time your screen changes its level of brightness your eye has to record that and if this happens for a long period it could be damaging to your eye.”
A lack of concrete evidence-it’s too early to tell what the precise repercussions of screen time in the dark might be-means that medical experts can’t say exactly what your phone habit might lead to; but sleep medicine research suggests that peering at brightly lit screens at night disrupts the body’s natural rhythms and raises the risk of medical conditions linked to poor sleep. By suppressing the sleep hormone, melatonin, artificial light can prevent a good night’s rest-and this has repercussions for your eyes. “Many people believe in a myth that your eyes need exercise,” says Dr. Palihakkara. “But what it really needs is rest. Your eyes are constantly working during the day-they need at least six hours of sleep to rest.”
Screen time in the night is also linked to the possible onset of conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration (a medical condition related to blurred or no vision in the centre of the visual field). Dr. Palihakkara is hesitant to comment-again, there is a lack of evidence that directly links the two-but says that constant exposure to your phone’s radiation could damage your retina cells, potentially leading to macular degeneration later in life. Dry eyes, caused by staring at your screen for too long, is also a possibility.
For all this Dr. Palihakkara suggests you use your device smartly. It’s alright to use your phone or tablet in the night, he says, as long as you have a bright light in the room and take a break from your device every half hour. He suggests training your eye on a distant object for a minute every half hour-simply closing your eyes won’t do. “When you’ve been focusing on the screen for a while your eyes are working at maximum capacity,” he notes. “This exercise will help the eyes to relax.”
If you’re younger, the chances of damaging your eyes through increased screen time are actually higher. Older users develop a filtering action around the lens that younger users, with their crystal clear lens, do not possess. If you’re short sighted Dr. Palihakkara advises the use of your spectacles when using a screen based device for lengthy periods-or you risk developing a squint, he says.
He also recommends that you aim to neutralise the potential damage by eating an anti-oxidant rich diet and drinking plenty of water. It may sound obvious but “I find more and more people aren’t eating right,” he says. “It’s such a simple way to take care of your eyes.”