Indian youth told to avoid excessive use of digital devices

With development in technology, life without smart-phones or computers is now very difficult for youngsters, who spend most of their time on these devices. Stating that the rising use of digital devices has emerged as a cause for concern for eye health, Dr P Raja, an Ophthalmologist said, “Such devices emit blue and violet light, which has shown to contribute to eye strain and discomfort and may lead to blindness or vision impairment later in life, if not treated. Parents have also been found to be introducing children the smart phones and computers at a very young, which has proved to contribute to eye complications when they are young.”

According to a new Asia-Pacific Eye Health Survey conducted by Alcon, the global leader in eye care, while 9 in 10 people have experienced vision related symptoms in their daily life, ranging from hazy or blurred vision to severe eye and head pain, only 1 in 5 people stated that they would visit an eye doctor immediately to seek help. Instead, over half the respondents chose to understand the symptoms based on online search or spoke to friends and family for advice, while a quarter chose to do nothing.

Stressing on the need for the public to know the symptoms and understand the difference between a regular headache and one caused due to eye problems, Sandeep Bothra, Country Head – Surgical, Alcon Laboratories-India, said, “Sight is such an important sense for our daily lives, yet many of us do not take the necessary actions to protect our vision. Early intervention and treatment is key to prevent the progression of eye conditions that could lead to severe vision impairment or even total vision loss.” 

Among the countries surveyed, India was found to have the highest proportion of consumers who spent the most of their time on digital devices across the region. “Indians in comparison to other Asia-Pacific residents come across as the most proactive when faced with eye discomfort. We have noticed – over the years – despite faced with discomfort in their eyes, many refrain from approaching the doctors – leading to further problems of eyesight.”

“Blue light is concerning because the cornea and the lens don’t filter it out, so it goes right to the back of the eye. It might damage the retina and lead to conditions like macular degeneration. Research has also shown that this blue light suppresses the melatonin. That can make it harder to fall asleep, and lack of sleep can have long-term health consequences,” said Dr Sumandran M, an Ophthalmologist.