“Overuse of technological devices impairs eye health”

SHAFAQNA Türkiye – Liv Ankara Hospital Ophthalmic Specialist Op. Dr. Serkan Güreser said that eye health should be taken into account when using technological devices. Stating that fatigue and dry eyes are one of the most common problems, Gürezer said: “Long-term use of the screen can cause eye fatigue and dryness. Our eyes blink less when exposed to bright screen lights and cannot naturally hydrate. This can lead to symptoms such as eye discomfort, burning, redness, and blurred vision. To prevent eye strain, we should move away from screens regularly, stare at a distant point for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, and rest our eyes. In addition, artificial tear drops can be used to increase eye moisture.

“SCREEN USE SHOULD BE LIMITED DURING NIGHT HOURS”

Claiming that screen use late into the night affects sleep patterns, Gureser said, “Exposure to blue light can interfere with sleep by inhibiting the secretion of the hormone melatonin. To maintain a healthy sleep pattern, we should limit screen use at night and stay away from screens at least 1 hour before bed. In addition, avoiding screen use entirely in the bedroom can help improve sleep quality. We know that the blue light emitted by screens affects our eyes. We can protect our eyes from this harmful light by using glasses or screen protectors that contain blue light filters. In addition, lowering screen brightness settings or using night mode can also help keep our eyes healthy.

“MAY AFFECT AN EXISTING VISION PROBLEM”

The claim that staring at a screen for long periods of time can lead to poor vision or can improve an existing vision problem, Op. Dr. Serkan Gureser said:

“Devices such as virtual reality glasses, game consoles, phones and tablets are often used for entertainment, communication and access to information. Excessive use of technological devices means more eye strain. It is important for us to know that excessive use of these devices may cause some adverse health effects on our eyes.

Long hours spent with tech devices can also affect eye hygiene. Regular eye washing is important to prevent eye infections and irritation. We must keep our hands clean and clean our glasses regularly. In addition, we should not rub our eyes when using the screen for a long time. Excessive screen use can tire our eyes, cause dry eyes, disrupt our sleep patterns, and affect our ability to zoom. Controlling our daily screen time is critical to the health of our eyes. If possible, it can be helpful to set a specific time and then move away from the screens. It’s important to control and limit screen time, especially for kids.”

“PERIODIC EXAMINATION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR EYE HEALTH”
Emphasizing that if there are problems with vision, appropriate glasses or lenses should be used, Op. Dr. Gureser said: “It is important to have regular eye exams and periodic eye exams to detect and treat any problem in a timely manner. Although the importance of technological devices in our lives remains, it is very important to pay attention to the health of our eyes. Measures to control screen time, regular eye exams, eye hygiene and eye rest help us protect eye health. “Let’s not forget that the eyes are an important part of our health and proper care of them leads to a better quality of life in the long run.”