Mobile phones, including iPhones and Samsung Galaxys, have become very popular in the past ten years. The average person uses their cell phone for over five hours a day. Did you know that these devices could be affecting your eyesight?
Mobile devices use LED technology and high amounts of blue light. Since these devices are relatively new, not many documented studies show the long-term effects of mobile devices on vision. However, research has pointed to blue light affecting sight loss, eyestrain, and sleep.
Here are three ways you keep your eyesight safe as you get your screen time in:
Tip #1: Adjust Your Phone’s Brightness
The easiest way to protect your eyes is through your phone’s brightness. Low brightness in a dark or poorly lit environment can cause eye strain. You can adjust the brightness in the Command Center or the “Accessibility” tab in Settings on an iPhone. It can be found in the “Display” tab in settings on a Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel. On an iPhone, you can also turn on “Auto-Brightness” in the Accessibility tab. This automatically allows your phone to adjust its brightness to the environment around you.
Tip #2: Maintain a Good Distance
Keeping your phone close to your face can make it difficult for your eyes to adjust to distance. Holding your phone a bit further away, just 16-18 inches, can prevent eye strain and dry eyes.
Remember to blink frequently while using your mobile phone to keep your eyes from getting dry and keep your vision focused. Also, when you’re sleeping, don’t keep your phone right next to you- keep it a safe distance away from you, and turn on Night Mode if you’re browsing before bed.
Tip #3: Turn on Night Mode
Night Mode, or Dark Mode on some devices, is another setting that can be used to lower your phone’s brightness and glare. Using it allows your eyes to adjust before bed and minimizes blue light, which can disrupt your sleep schedule.
Night Mode for iPhones: Look under the “Display and Brightness” tab on the Settings app
Night Mode for Samsung Galaxys: Look under the “Display” tab
Night Mode for Google Pixels: The Google Pixel app has a “Night Light” feature that can be found in the Settings folder.
Pay Attention to Eyesight Changes
With mobile phones increasingly becoming part of our daily lives, it is important to pay attention to any changes with your eyes. If you notice any symptoms of vision loss, such as:
- Blurry vision
- Floaters or obstructed vision
- Difficulty sleeping
Please contact your Vision Eye Group doctor right away.
Are you curious about how to keep your eyes healthy? We’d be happy to help. Schedule an appointment: 478-744-1710