Have you ever thought about the toll your smartphone might be taking on your eyes? Tablets and smartphones are so convenient when it comes to being in touch when we're on the go. However because handheld devices have little screens, most users often hold their smartphones much closer than they hold books and magazines. This gives way to a whole lot of visual demands that force your eyes to work in a different way than they usually do when you read regular small print.
It's a challenge for your eyes to focus on the small images and text you see on the tiny screens of smartphones. Not surprisingly, this might create problems, particularly if you already use glasses or contact lenses. Some research shows evidence that when glasses-wearing individuals have a lot of small screen time, the eyes have an even harder time correcting for distance. This puts pressure on your eyes, and you end up with headaches or migraines, which aren't pleasant.
There are other symptoms that can result from these habits, including blurred vision and dry eyes, because excessive screen time reduces your blink rate.
In order to prevent eyestrain and blurred vision resulting from the use of handheld devices, it is recommended to make the text on your device much bigger and ensure that you hold your smart phone as far away from your eyes as you can. It's also a good idea to try using your phone in shorter increments, and giving your eyes lots of rests. And after that, if you still experience eyestrain, you might be far-sighted, and need glasses to fix that. Come see us for an exam, if this is something you're concerned about. Being smart about your smartphone will protect your eyes.