The life of an average human being has changed tremendously since December 2019 when the first Covid-19 case emerged and gradually it became a global pandemic. In the new world, gadgets play an important role as everything has shifted online from learning to earning. Laptops and computers have become much more essential tools for people than they were before. As a result, the screen time of an average individual has increased manifolds.

According to a 2020 survey conducted in the United States, 62% teenagers aged from 14 to 17 years were spending more than 4 hours on screen daily. Prolonged screen time can have drastic effects on the human mind and body, most of them unknown to a layman.

CONS OF EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME:

Excessive screen time can cause various health issues in human beings. Dryness and strain in the eyes, headache, migraine, strained neck, blurred vision, loss of focus, and lethargy are some immediate effects of excessive screen time. Long term impact of excessive screen time include myopia or short-sightedness which is characterized by elongated retina due to which individual can see nearby objects but cannot see far away objects clearly. Sleep deprivation is also caused by excessive screen time as the blue light emitted by gadget screens resembles a portion of sunlight in its wavelength. This causes decreased production of Melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep-wake cycle of humans. Therefore, sleep time is decreased by one hour causing tiredness and exhaustion. Excessive screen time can cause loss of cognitive abilities in children as it hampers their brain development. The loss of cognitive ability is not limited to children as it is also caused in adults due to excessive screen time along with weak social skills. Behavioral and emotional disorders are also a result of increased screen time.

Computer vision syndrome (CVS), also known as digital eye syndrome, is the term used for the impact of excessive screen time faced by an individual. Digital eye syndrome symptoms include neck tension, shoulder pain, headache, and strained eyes.

SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT CVS:

Anyone with excessive screen time wonders how to prevent headaches in the front of a laptop or monitor? Headaches, eye strain, and other CVS symptoms can be prevented by making some simple changes.

Maintain a safe distance from the screen while using your gadget. A minimum distance of 25cm needs to be maintained while using the screen as recommended by ophthalmologists. Although different distances should be maintained from different screens. 50cm to 100cm is the ideal distance to be maintained from computer and laptop screens. If the distance is not maintained, eyes and brain will face difficulty in creating an image, resulting in eye strain and headache.

We often adjust the brightness of our screen according to the light around us. Lights inside the room where you are using the gadget plays a vital role in prevention of headache and eye strain. The brightness of your screen should not be more than the light inside your room. Avoid exposing your eyes to screen in dark rooms and rooms with dim/dull lights.

Glare from the computer or laptop screen is also a cause of CVS. Glare means light being reflected from your screen into your eyes. This reflected light causes loss of focus, blurry vision and difficulty in viewing the content on the screen. More energy used in focusing on the screen causes more strain on your brain which results in headaches. To prevent headaches and other CVS symptoms, eliminate the glare from your screen by adjusting your screen accordingly. Your computer/laptop screen should be adjusted in a way that light from any light source does not fall directly on your screen. If you are sitting next to a window, make sure the sunlight entering from the window is not falling directly on your screen. If you are sitting under a light bulb, adjust your position to make sure light is not falling directly on your screen from the bulb. Light will not be reflected from the screen if it is not falling directly from the light source. No glaring means reduced eye strain and headache.

You might have seen a blue light filter on your mobile phone. It reduces the blue light emitted by your screen which interferes with your sleep-wake cycle. Loss of sleep and fatigue often results in headaches. You can use a blue light filter on your computer/laptop screen as well. Window 10 of Microsoft has a built-in blue light filter for PCs and laptops. Users of other windows can download a blue light filter.

At present, many different softwares are available that adjust the blue light emitted by the screen according to the lights around the user and the time of the day. Examples of such software include F.lux, Calise, Redshift, Lightbulb, Iris mini and PC sunscreen.

Taking breaks during using the screen of a gadget is vital to control CVS. Some ophthalmologists recommend taking a 10 second after every 15 to 20 minutes of constant contact with the screen. During this 10 seconds break, move your eyes away from the screen or close your eyes and give them rest. Others recommend what is commonly known as the 20.20.20 rule. Make this your rule of thumb and feel the change it makes in your life. According to the 20.20.20 rule, after every 20 minutes of using screen, look at an object that is 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. This will help your eyes to shift focus, changing the position of your retina. Thus, decreasing the chances of Myopia. Also, the change of focus will relieve stress from the brain minimizing the chances of headaches, neck and shoulder pains.

If you use a screen for hours continuously, leave your computer every 2 hours for 15 to 20 minutes. During this time, go out and breathe in the fresh air, do some physical activity and change your surroundings. This practice will be refreshing for your eyes and brain.

Maintaining an upright posture while using screen also helps to prevent headaches.

CONCLUSION:

Reducing screen time in the new world is difficult as everything has shifted online but making some simple changes can keep you healthier and happier reducing the risks caused by excessive screen time. Therefore, make these changes for a safer screen time.