In the health-conscious culture we live in, we have never been more attuned to what we are doing our bodies and putting in them. Our eyes are on the frontlines of attack from none other than our electronic mobile companion that has become a permanent fixture of our daily lives in the last decade.
According to Flurry Analytics, a firm that specializes in mobile usage and consumption research, states that the average American spends about 5-hours per day on their device, which is a 20-percent increase from 2015. Extrapolating out, we spend over 1800 hours a year looking at our device. Surely that sort of exposure cannot be good for our eyes.
As researchers have shown it isn’t the best. Smartphones are one of the leading causes of dry eyes and macular degeneration, which is a principle actor in causing blindness. But there is no need to fret, there are several ways to protect your peepers from the relentless on slot of the smartphone glow.
Curb Blue Light
One of the main culprits for damaging our eyes is the blue light that is emitted from our devices. Not only does this light have an adverse effect on our sleep, it also puts a big strain on our eyes and is harmful to the retina. Many of the newer generation phones have options that allows the user adjust the color display. There are also a wide variety of apps that filter blue light if you chose to go down that route instead.
Adjust Text Size
While it may be one of the last bastions of youth for someone, adjusting the text size on your phone to something bigger can help reduce strain on your eyes. Any smartphone or device has font size in their settings.
The Bright Side
Another way to calibrate your phone’s settings to be more friendly to your eyes is being mindful of the brightness of the screen. While you might keep a dim screen to save battery life or blast the brightness to watch a video, either extreme takes a toll on your eyes. The trick is to find a happy medium where you can still function on your device.
However, it should be noted that the brighter your screen is at night, the worse it is for not only your eyes, but your sleep. So definitely be sure to turn down the brightness at night.
Take Some Breaks
The most intuitive approach to this issue is to simply put your phone down for a while to let your eyes recover. It is recommended that you give your eyes a break, whether you are using a computer or smartphone, every 20 minutes or so.
Blue Light Glasses
Blue light blocking glasses are specialty glasses that, as you might have guessed, subdue blue light. These specs are perfect for those who spends their work day staring at a computer screen, but can also be utilized by heavy smartphone users. While some glasses can cost over $100, there are pairs you can get for $20 on Amazon.
Nature’s Defense: Blink
If you don’t feel like forking over money for glasses, you can just blink. And blink often. While this central nervous system function wasn’t necessarily designed to protect us against screen brightness, we can still take advantage of it. The more you blink, the more moisture is spread across your eye, which will help prevent dry eye.
Keep Your Distance
Another inexpensive way to fight smartphone eye strain is to merely hold your device further from your face. The longer you stare at something, say like the sun, the more damage it inflicts upon your eyes. The same principles apply with your smartphone, particularly if you are using it at night. Simply extend your arms out more and make that position your new normal.
