From laptops, televisions, and smartphones, screens are everywhere, and we spend a significant amount of time glued to them. While screens have undoubtedly made our lives more convenient and connected, prolonged exposure to screens has raised questions about the effects it may have on our eyes.
Thami Shezi from Durban, who spends a lot of time on his computer and phone, says he randomly gets headaches and the screen hurts his eyes if the brightness is high, especially when he is busy for a long time.
“I’ve had many headaches due to screen usage. My main concern would be that it could lead to everyday migraines and possibly blurred vision in the future due to the eye strain,” he says.
Struggling with eye problems
Ellen Baloi from Johannesburg says she’s on her phone mostly watching movies or replying to messages and emails, which causes problems in her eyes.
“Usually, my eyes burn and itch after a long day of being on my phone. When it happens, I mostly just sleep, or I put the phone down and read instead.
“I have concerns that it could lead to bad eyesight, headaches, or brain damage, but it’s improbable that people are going to spend less time on their devices because we use them for almost everything,” she says.
Kgomotso Pale from Pretoria, who ended up needing glasses because of the screen straining her eyes, says,” I got glasses for my eyes because the screen became blurry.
“My eyes started getting teary every time I would use my laptop, and I would get severe headaches. I tried squinting but it didn’t work for me, and I had to open my eyes wide all the time.”
Kgomotso Pale
Impact of prolonged screen time
Based in Johannesburg, optometrist Mbalenhle Sithole explains how computers and cell phones can cause digital eyestrain. She states that this strain is due to multiple factors, the first being the light that is emitted from the devices.
“The focus and debate have been on the blue light, with the facts still being debated. Every source of light emits blue light. So with extended hours on digital devices, it is advisable to add a blue filter for protection and comfort.
“The other factor in how the screen affects our eyes is the ocular surface. When we do close work, we tend to forget to blink, which makes our eyes dry, leading to irritation and redness. Some people have illnesses that contribute to dry eye, and the environment can also exacerbate dry eye and air conditioning.
“Refractive error is another, meaning that the vision is not good and needs visual aid to make it clearer. So that will also put a strain on the eyes, leading to various symptoms such as headaches and painful eyes.”
Reduce strain on the eyes
According to Sithole, prolonged screen use may vary for individuals. She says, however, that what is important is taking a break in between to help relax your eyes.
“There’s a 20-20-20 rule that helps reduce the strain. Every 20 minutes while working on a device, take a 20-second break and look at an object that is 20 feet away from you.”
Sithole further highlights age and darkness as things we may be unaware of that can affect our eyes.
“At age 40, focus on near changes for everyone. It is a physiological process that progresses with age. Symptoms will vary from individual to individual. Some people tend to blame the use of computers for this process.
“When using a phone in the dark, you are also more likely to bring it closer to your eyes than usual, which puts an extra muscular strain on your eyes.”
Optometrist Mbalenhle Sithole
A simple preventative measure she recommends to protect our eyes from the effects of screen use, is using the blue light filter application on our devices.
“It is also important for everyone to have a comprehensive eye examination done regularly. This way, a holistic approach would be applied to remedying any visual problem one might have because, eye care, is not one size fits all.”
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