Are screens harmful?

07/06/2024

The use of close and intermediate vision, such as when we read or use a screen, involves an eye accommodation exercise in which the lens must change shape, requiring continuous contraction of the ocular muscles. Performing this exercise for hours without rest can lead to overexertion, increasing the risk of visual fatigue, especially in paediatric patients.

Activities involving devices such as a computer, tablet, smartphone, television or game console reduce the frequency of blinking. This can lead to temporary blurred vision because the eyelid is responsible for evenly distributing the natural tears over the ocular surface, which are essential for our main refractive power.

Another consequence of decreased blinking is discomfort related to dry eyes. When we blink less frequently, some of the natural tears that lubricate and oxygenate our eyes evaporate. This is particularly significant for children and adolescents, as hormonal changes during this age may lead to alterations in the Meibomian glands, which produce one of the three layers of tears.

It has been shown that prolonged close work, combined with the lack of natural light, can often lead to an increase in myopia and exacerbate other common eye conditions during adolescence and childhood.