Keeping an Eye on Your Smartphone

Have a look around- you are likely to find that almost everyone is using mobile devices. Smart phones, tablets and handheld devices ensure our access to our email, text messages and the Internet no matter where we are. Nevertheless a lot of people tend to hold their handheld devices very close to their eyes. If you do a lot of reading off small screens, it can really be a strain on your vision.

It's much harder for your eyes to focus on the small images and text you see on the small screens of smartphones. Eventually, research shows this may lead to problems with focus and vision, especially if you already use vision correction, like glasses or lenses. If you already wear glasses, holding your phone or tablet too close can make it a real challenge for your eyes to correct for distance. When your eyes are under unnecessary pressure, it usually leads to unpleasant headaches as a result of the eyestrain.

But there are more symptoms that can arise. Holding your device too close can make you blink less, and this can dry your eyes and make it harder to see clearly.

What can we do keep our eyes strong, while still using our phones? In order to prevent these symptoms caused by handheld devices, as eye care professionals, we recommend that you hold the phone further away, and enlarge the text, so you can still read it. Also, try not to use your phone too much! If you've been on it a while, let your eyes have a break. We can't give up technology, but it's crucial to be smart about how we use it, in order to protect our vision.