The idea that prolonged screen time can harm our vision has been a common warning, but it wasn’t until Dr Sudhir Kumar from Hyderabad, India, shared a real-life case on Twitter that the issue has become evident.
The tweet, which outlines the story of a 30-year-old woman who experienced vision problems due to prolonged smartphone usage has since gone viral.
According to Dr Sudhir Kumar, the woman’s excessive use of her smartphone in low light conditions led to her loss of eyesight. The symptoms reportedly began to appear after she quit her job and began spending extended periods of time using her phone.
“30-year-old Manju had severe disabling vision symptoms for one and half years. This included seeing floaters, bright flashes of light, dark zig-zag lines, and at times inability to see or focus on objects. There were moments when she could not see anything for several seconds – mostly in the night,” the doctor writes while explaining the situation in a series of tweets.
Before being referred to Dr Sudhir, Manju had sought treatment from an eye specialist but without success. And this referral was made in order to rule out any underlying neurological issues.
After reviewing her history, Dr Sudhir discovered that the woman had smartphone vision syndrome (SVS). He found that she spent several hours daily on her smartphone, often using it for more than two hours with the lights turned off.
For the doctor, the diagnosis was reportedly quite “obvious” after gathering all the information.
Dr Sudhir also supposedly counseled the woman and explained to her the “possible cause for her vision impairment and suggested she minimise the use of her smartphone.
“I did not order any investigations nor did I prescribe any medicines (even though Manju requested, as she was anxious),” he writes in the tweet.
“Manju was anxious as she feared something sinister with her brain nerves but was finally determined to take corrective action,” he writes.
Heeding the doctor’s advice, the patient made the decision to limit her smartphone usage and only use it when absolutely necessary. And after a month, her eyesight reportedly returned to normal.
The effects of blue light
In an earlier report in the New York Post researchers at the University of Toledo in Ohio reportedly discovered that exposure to blue light, which is emitted by many smartphones, tablets, and laptops, can encourage the development of harmful molecules in the eyes and eventually result in macular degeneration.
Commenting on the research, professor Ajith Karunarathne, a co-author of the study, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports states, “It’s no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye’s retina.”
According to the research team, blue light is particularly dangerous to our eyes as it cannot be blocked or reflected by the cornea and lens of the eye, unlike other types of light.
This means that blue light has a direct path to the photoreceptors in the retina, which are the light-sensitive cells in the eye. Excessive exposure to blue light, such as constantly checking your Instagram feed, can put a strain on these cells and result in the production of a toxic chemical, leading to macular degeneration and even vision loss.
Age-related macular degeneration
The site Optimax informs that prolonged screen usage and exposure to blue light have been linked to an acceleration of the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AMD typically occurs in individuals over the age of 60, but experts predict that as screen usage increases, this age will become lower.
The symptoms of AMD typically manifest as distorted or blurred objects in the central vision. As the condition worsens, black spots may appear in the central field of vision, obstructing one’s view. Other symptoms include faded colours, hallucinations, and straight lines appearing wavy.
AMD is a major contributor to blindness worldwide, so it is important to be aware of how lifestyle factors, such as screen usage, can influence its development.
What is CVS?
Aside from AMD, excessive screen usage can also lead to a milder condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS symptoms include:
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Pain in the shoulders and neck
• Dry and red eyes
• Difficulty focusing
• Making mistakes
Experts explain that the primary cause of CVS is reduced blinking. Prolonged screen time leads to less blinking, causing our eyes to dry out and lose their protective layer of moisture.
Additionally, screen usage requires frequent focusing and refocusing of the eyes as objects move on the screen, leading to eye strain.
CVS typically develops after prolonged screen time of over two hours.
Dr Sudhir emphasises the importance of limiting screen time on digital devices to prevent the development of severe and potentially disabling vision-related problems.
“Take 20-second break, every 20 min, to look at something 20 feet away, while using a digital screen (20-20-20 rule)” he urges.
According to Dr Sudhir, though the woman had been struggling with the issue for the last 18 months, after one month of review, the woman’s vision impairment had fully resolved.
“At 1-month review, Manju was absolutely fine. Her vision impairment of 18 months had gone. Now, she had normal eyesight, did not see any floaters or flashes of light. Moreover, her momentary loss of vision at nights also stopped,” Dr Sudhir wrote.
