Staring at a screen, laptop, or smartphone can lead to eye-related problems – this is a fact we are all well aware of by now. But could it cause vision loss, even if only temporarily? If we look at the Twitter post of Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a doctor from Hyderabad, there is a possibility of a scary outcome. In a series of tweets posted earlier this month, Dr Kumar described how a 30-year-old woman suffered serious complications due to excessive use of her smartphone. In the post, the doctor mentions that the symptoms started appearing after the Hyderabad woman quit her job and spent hours on her smartphone.
smartphones affect vision
Dr. Kumar wrote, “Manju, 30, had symptoms of severe disability for a year and a half. These included seeing floaters, bright flashes of light, dark zig-zag lines, and at times the inability to see or focus on objects.” , “There were moments when she could not see anything for several seconds. This mostly happened at night when she got up to use the washroom. She was evaluated by an eye specialist and a detailed evaluation was found to be normal Was. He was referred. Rule out neurological cause.”
The doctor said that he reviewed the case and realized that the symptoms began when she left her job to care for her disabled child. The woman, who is a beautician by profession, had started using her smartphone excessively and this included browsing on the phone for more than 2 hours at night when the lights were off. “The diagnosis was now clear. She was suffering from Smartphone Vision Syndrome (SVS). Prolonged use of devices such as computers, smartphones or tablets can cause various symptoms of eye-related dysfunction, known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). is called.” or digital vision syndrome,” wrote Dr. Kumar.
He suggested that the lady Manju reduce the use of her smartphone and did not prescribe any other medicine. Manju complied and stopped looking at the smartphone unless it was an absolute necessity. Dr. Kumar insisted that her suspicions were correct and wrote, “At the 1-month review, Manju was absolutely fine. Her 18-month vision loss was gone. Now, her vision was normal and she had no floaters or flashes of light.” Did not see flashes. Also, the momentary loss of his night vision also stopped.”
When Zee News Digital contacted Dr. Sanjay Dhawan, Senior Director & HOD – Ophthalmology, Eye Care/Ophthalmology, Max Multi Specialty Centre, Panchsheel Park, he shared, “Prolonged use of smartphones and other screens Doing this causes eye strain, discomfort and discomfort. Temporary fluctuations of vision. But no permanent damage to vision has been reported by anyone or observed at our centers.” However, he stressed that “the symptoms of floaters, flashes and zig-zag lines are not related to smartphone use.”
strained eye care
Doctors say that people should never keep staring at the screen for hours. Dr Dhawan suggests the following measures to keep eye problems at bay:
– reduce screen time
Keep the screen away from eyes
– take frequent breaks
– have a good sleep
– regular convergence eye exercises
– Use simple lubricant eye drops
Dr. Sudhir Kumar also suggests following the 20-20-20 rule: When using a digital screen, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away.
Smartphone: How much harm can it cause to the eyes?
See Dr Sudhir Kumar’s post below:
a common habit turned serious #Vision loss in a young woman
1. Manju, 30, had symptoms of severe visual impairment for one and a half years. This included seeing floaters, bright flashes of light, dark zig zag lines, and sometimes the inability to see or focus on objects. – Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (@hyderabaddoctor) February 6, 2023