Do your eyes hurt when you look at your phone? Your prolonged use might be doing more harm than good. Find out here if your cellphone is really ruining your eyesight and what you can do about it. 

Effects of Blue Light

Numerous laboratory and animal studies have shown that high levels of blue light can damage the retina. Why does this happen? Blue light has a shorter wavelength and produces more energy than other colours. This extra energy can damage living tissue and even cause reactions within the eye that can damage the retinal cells. And that’s not all. The damage found in the studies appears consistent with retinal changes associated with macular degeneration, a leading cause of permanent vision loss. 

Should I be concerned?

More studies are needed to determine whether or not sufficient exposure to your cellphone is enough for the blue light to cause permanent damage. In the meantime, what you should be concerned about is myopia. Increased smartphone use has been directly correlated to a surge in myopia or nearsightedness, reaching unprecedented levels worldwide. 

Myopia and Nearsightedness

Too much time focusing up close can be harmful to our eyes. Several studies have tracked the increase of near-sightedness focusing particularly on children. The results found that a majority of children and young adults have myopia and that the degree of nearsightedness is on the rise. As people spend more time focusing up close, the optical power of the eyes increases to bring the image into focus, creating a new normal. The result – our eyes are changing shape to focus on objects that are close while worsening our vision on objects that are further away.

Should I be concerned?

Those with myopia are more at risk of developing glaucoma and retinal detachment. Some scientists also believe that blue light can accelerate myopia. Of course, your cellphone isn’t the only culprit of nearsightedness, but it is definitely a contributing factor.  

What You Can Do to Prevent Eye Damage

Taking frequent breaks is important. Every 20 minutes take at least a 20-second break when using your phone or laptop. If you wear eyeglasses, make sure that your lenses have a reflective (AR) coating that will eliminate reflections and reduce strain. You should also ask your eye doctor about glasses that block out the harmful blue light that will reduce your overall exposure. 

Have you noticed a difference in your vision? Are you interested in learning more about glasses with AR coatings or blue light protection? Come see us at Laurier Optical. We’ll test your eyes and also give you the advice you need to protect your vision.