Smartphones can damage your eyes and lead to eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. However, you can do a lot to prevent problems from smartphones like keeping your phone farther away from your face. In this article, you will find information on the symptoms of smartphone eye damage and how to minimize vision damage from smartphones.

Symptoms of Smartphone Eye Damage

Most of us spend a good chunk of the day staring at smartphones. Smartphones are worse than computer screens because they are portable and the screens are much smaller. You probably use your smartphones to do your computer work in place of a desktop or notebook. Smartphones also provide convenient entertainment like watching Netflix while you’re lounging in bed. In addition, you probably use your smartphones to find places to eat like an Italian restaurant on Yelp or to search for a plumber on Google for basement waterproofing because your basement is flooded.

One of the main issue with smartphones is the distance we hold it away from the face and eyes. A study found that people held smartphones an average of 11.5 inches away from the face compared to a computer which is at least 20 inches away from the face.

Exposure to blue light from smartphones and other sources such as sunlight and computer screens can lead to eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. These eye diseases mostly strike the elderly, but a lifetime of bad vision habits causes cumulative damage. Therefore, eye disease prevention should be practiced at all ages.

The symptoms of smartphone damage are:
1. Eye strain
2. Blurred vision
3. Seeing double
4. Fatigue
5. Trouble concentrating
6. Neck or shoulder pain
7. Headache
8. Eyes feel dry or itchy

How to Minimize Vision Damage from Smartphones

There is a lot you can do to prevent problems from smartphones. Safe smartphone use can help you prevent eye injuries and diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Below are ways you can minimize vision damage from smartphones:

1. Set limits on the amount of time you spend on your smartphone.
2. Don’t stare at the screen for more than 20 minutes. Every 20 minute, you should take a break for 20 seconds and look at something that’s at least 20 feet away.
3. Blink fully and frequently while on your phone.
4. Keep the screen as far away from your eyes as is comfortable.
5. If you’re watching videos on Netflix or Youtube, turn the phone on its side so it fills the screen and set the phone down on a phone holder.
6. Turn the brightness of your screen down in low lighting conditions.
7. Go to your optometrist regularly to get eye exams done to prevent eye health-damaging problems.
8. Check if your phone has a built-in blue light filter setting. Make sure you turn the blue light filter on in the evening.

Related Article: How to Improve your Vision Health