Nowadays, how many screens are you in front of? A computer screen for work to send to your boss, a tablet screen for chatting with clients, a mobile phone screen for following political news minute by minute. This era is one where you may be exposed to Blue Light from various display screens as much as you are exposed to UV from natural sunlight. Increased use of technology has led to behavioral diseases, also known as “Technology Syndrome.” The simplest solution is to adjust your behavior and allocate your screen time appropriately… before Technology Syndrome harms your health even more.
Technology Syndrome… How does it harm the eyes?
Spending long hours in front of display screens, whether for work, using social media daily such as Facebook, Line, Twitter, Instagram, or for entertainment by watching YouTube, online TV, or recorded shows, etc. Let’s see which screen usage behaviors harm the eyes…
1. Staring at the screen for too long… forgetting to blink When “screen users” unintentionally stare at the screen for a long time, they blink less without realizing it. Normally, people blink at a regular and sufficient frequency, which allows the tear film to work fully, making the eyes comfortable and vision clear. Therefore, blinking less causes dry eyes, lack of moisture, and an unsuitable condition for the eyes.
Patients often come with symptoms of: dry eyes, burning sensation, discomfort, tearing, blurred vision, unclear sight even though their eyesight has not changed.
2. Overuse causes eye muscles to tense and fatigue Staring at screens for a long time causes eye muscles to become tired, tense, and malfunction, leading to temporary myopia, where vision suddenly becomes unclear. Also, using screens in inappropriate lighting conditions, either too dark or too bright, can make the eyes work harder.
Patients often come with symptoms of: eye fatigue, temporary myopia even though they had no previous myopia, or feeling that their myopia has worsened despite having the same prescription.
Does frequent exposure to Blue Light really affect eye cells?
Blue light from various screens is a light wave of 400 – 500 nanometers or more, close to sunlight or UV light that we are constantly exposed to. Studies show that excessive UV exposure over time may cause cataracts and accelerate macular degeneration. Prolonged exposure to Blue Light affects eye cells, although there are no human case studies yet, only animal experiments. However, it is certain that long screen time negatively impacts eye health in the long term. Additionally, using screens before bedtime inhibits melatonin production, causing poor sleep quality and insufficient rest.
Technology Syndrome… also affects posture and mental health
- Sitting in any position causes muscle aches in that area. Long hours of screen time, whether working on a computer or using a phone, often make us forget to change posture, resulting in pain and stiffness in the shoulders, neck, back, arms, wrists, and fingers, similar to office syndrome.
- Social media addiction, anxiety, and obsession. This is evident from statistics showing that Thai people rank among the highest social media users worldwide. Excessive use leads to increasing demands in some users, causing psychological dependence, inability to be without it, self-comparison with others, and eventually depression.
Adjust behavior… reduce Technology Syndrome problems
Treatment for Technology Syndrome is symptom-based, whether for the eyes, muscles, or mental health, such as eye drops, muscle relaxants, or anti-anxiety medication for depressed patients. However, these treatments are only symptomatic. The real solution is to manage time and screen usage properly and prioritize rest and sleep. This is the best way to prevent and treat the condition.
Take care of your eyes, muscles, and mind… stay away from Technology Syndrome
- Manage screen time well. Take breaks every 25 – 30 minutes to rest your eyes, look away, gaze at trees or greenery, change your focus distance, or use artificial tears to keep eyes moist.
- Adjust screen brightness to match ambient light as closely as possible. Avoid too bright or too dark settings.
- Choose devices suitable for the task. Use mobile phones for short tasks like messaging, emails, or photos. Use larger screens like computers or tablets for longer media viewing to protect your eyes and avoid straining on small screens.
- Position screens at eye level and adjust chair height appropriately to reduce fatigue and muscle tension from use.
- Engage in other activities instead of screen time, such as exercising, cooking, housework, traveling, walking, or socializing with friends.
- Talk, interact, and pay attention to people around you more than to screens.
- Sleep at least 7 hours per day to reduce screen time and allow your eyes and body to rest.
Technology Syndrome affects both the body and mind, especially the eyes, which are delicate organs that deserve as much care as other parts of the body. Simply… putting down your phone and resting your eyes can extend your eye usage time and help heal Technology Syndrome most effectively.
Dr. Kanokwan Yuttitham
Glaucoma Specialist Ophthalmologist
Eye Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
