Impact of excessive use of screens on young people’s eye health worries experts

Manaus (AM) – In the age of technology, for a person to be up to date with everything that happens in the world, they need to have a means connected to the internet that transmits as much information as possible to them. Right now, for example, as you read this article, can you count how many electronic devices are around you?

Between televisions, cell phones and notebooks, more and more young people receive a large amount of artificial light directly into their eyes. A survey carried out by the Electronics Hub platform revealed that Brazil is the second country with the most people in front of a screen; there are nine hours a day using technology directly, exposing your eyes to artificial lighting.

In addition to compromising mental health, the time spent in front of screens worries experts, who deal daily with the increase in eye diseases resulting from eye exposure to technology. The pandemic further aggravated the situation, as with the population more confined at home, electronic media became the main platforms for remaining connected to the outside world.

In the week in which National Day of People with Visual Impairments is celebrated on December 13th, the debate about the effects of excessive use of screens, especially on the health of young people, serves as a warning about the necessary care aimed at avoiding a bad diagnosis.

Myopia

The Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology (CBO) released a survey in 2021 revealing that 72% of ophthalmologists diagnosed myopia more regularly in the age group from 0 to 19 years old. The World Health Organization (WHO) also pointed out that, by 2050, half of the world’s population will be diagnosed with myopia.

According to the Ministry of Health, myopia is a visual disorder whose main characteristic is difficulty seeing from afar. Despite having a genetic factor influencing the condition, myopia can also be acquired by other conditions, such as exposure to external environments or viewing figures up close, whether reading or using screens.

One of these recurring phenomena experienced by those who abuse artificial lighting in the eyeball is the famous “dry eye”. Known for leaving the eyes looking dry, the condition is responsible for causing discomfort in the vision of those who spend hours in front of technological screens.

“When we look at screens, we tend to blink less often than normal. The eye ends up becoming less lubricated than it should, causing a burning sensation, discomfort and tiredness”, pointed out ophthalmologist Jovanni Gomes, during an interview.

Lawyer Lorena Teixeira, 23, told Em Tempo that she didn’t worry about the time she spent on her cell phone until she was diagnosed with myopia.

“I thought there would be no problem, because everyone uses their cell phone without worrying. I used it a lot before going to sleep and it ended up affecting my vision; I only realized how serious it was when I went to the ophthalmologist and he gave me the diagnosis. He also asked me to use devices more sparingly,”

reported the lawyer.

The professional is also the mother of a three-year-old child and told the journalistic team about the care she takes with her son after his diagnosis.

“Now I don’t leave him on his cell phone for too long watching videos. I limit the amount of time on both my cell phone and television. I don’t want him to have this health problem at such a young age, it will be detrimental to his growth”, highlighted Teixeira.

The professional’s concern is valid, according to the professor of ophthalmological surgery at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais, Tiago César Pereira Ferreira.

“The problem with early progression of the degree of myopia is that, from five degrees onwards, many will have some eye disease in the future, be it retinal detachment, a higher incidence of cataracts, glaucoma. So, the myopes that are emerging now may be highly myopic in the future, and the prevalence of serious eye diseases increases”, said Thiago, in an interview.

Blindness

And this indiscriminate use of electronic screens can further harm human vision. High myopia, for example, which is when a person has a degree greater than 6, is a common condition and, according to the WHO, is the third cause of blindness in the world. The same organization also pointed out that blindness affects 39 million people worldwide and 246 million suffer from moderate or severe vision loss.

A case that had repercussions on social media in 2019 was the daily struggle of American Gretta Nance, who was diagnosed with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (GDM). Common in the elderly, the condition appears in young people who tend to spend long hours in front of cell phones, TVs, notebooks and other electronic devices.

Marketing specialist, Gretta has a problem with the gland below the eyelid and, according to doctors, once compromised, it will no longer be possible to recover it. Now, the professional needs to follow specific precautions to take advantage of the little vision she has.

Gretta’s case was not the only one to shock the world’s population. Among others that arise daily, concern about eye health raises an alert about prevention and immediate diagnosis.

According to the WHO, approximately 80% of blindness cases would be avoided if eye diseases were diagnosed in time and treated correctly.

In an interview, ophthalmologist Guilherme Kappel highlighted the care needed to prevent a future diagnosis of blindness and preserve vision at different stages of life.

“Taking care of your eye health should be a daily thing, just like taking care of your body. Good nutrition and healthy habits contribute to good eye health. Furthermore, it is important to have an ophthalmological check-up at least once a year or whenever the person notices any changes in their vision”,

concluded Guilherme Kappel.

One in every five people, between 18 and 24 years old, has never been to an ophthalmologist in Brazil, according to a survey carried out by Ibope Intelligence in 2020. Recent data, however, indicate that care must exist.

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