RESEARCH PAPER CONCERNING RELATION

BETWEEN EYE HEALTH AND SCREEN-TIME.

Main point: the main point for me to compile all the past information that I have gathered is by
no means, my excuse to say that screen-time do Not damage the eyes permanently and
temporarily, but rather to inform the reasons conforming these damages, to which extent and why
to eradicate existence of any myth or confusion.
When the theme is out of the way, first of all, I shall want to answer the question if screen-time hurt
eye-sight, well the answer is simple YES it does damage your eyes however the confusion that arises
is does it affect eyes directly or indirectly. From a direct manner I mean if just looking at a screen for
more time affects your eyes or is it happening through external factors that are the results of sitting
and watching a screen for a longer time.
it should be taken into consideration that screen-time damages eyes both directly and indirectly
however, one of them is temporary and the other leaves personal side effects. Firstly, Now let's talk
about the direct manner of how it damages our eyes.
So, directly it damages our eyes more in temporary factors which are called “computer vision
syndrome” according to America optometric association, it happens when we are continuously staring
at a screen for long times because it is making eye work a bit harder than normal. Also, the eye blinks
less watching the screen making it blind. Thirdly when our eyes are exhausted, we stretch the
muscles of our eyes to focus which results in headaches. also neck pains and blurred vision. This can
be completely solved through a little rest and intervals from screen time however failure to do so
would lead to more permanent damages such as continuous tension of eye muscles to focus after the
eyes are exhausted would lead to the weakness of these muscles and in turn hind sightedness (this
aligns with what doctor Saleem said to Adnan about his eye muscles being weak).
Another damage that we hear from adults is UV rays from the screen would damage the eyes, this is
not true for the screens existing in 2021. "In the past, screens were bombarded with energy. That
emission back in the 1950s was too strong. In the '60s and '70s, they made safer TVs. Now with LCD
or LED TVs, nothing is coming out of the screen to hurt you," says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, an
ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Watching TV for long periods won't generally lead to computer vision syndrome, since you're using
your distance vision for viewing, not close-up vision, which risks eyestrain. However, sitting too close
to a big-screen TV may cause neck strain. "You'll only see what's right in front of you, and end up
looking around to see all aspects of the screen," says Dr. Gardiner.
Now done directly, let's go towards the indirect manner of eye damage from screens. Their many
indirect effects such as it leaves the brains exhausted to focus on anything, it also leads to loss of
appetite which results in the screen watcher eating less, inturn physically damaging his whole body,
also mental problems rose through the screen time as the person with his exhaust3ed mind gets
irritative. The person spending time on screens is less likely to go out in the sunlight which further
puts a toll on the eyes and mental health of the person. Another major problem is the sitting posture
(Adnan has a really bad sitting posture while using screens despite me telling him to sit straight)
which results in neck pains, more use of the eye muscles. Typically, loss of focus flexibility happens
as we age, but excessive screen time can impact our ability to adjust our eyes to see at all distances
quickly.
Despite the information displayed up there is looking vague however the help from Harvard medical
school articles and America optometric association, now what shall be the solution? Should we not
use screens at all or decrease their use to a high degree? Maybe 1 or 2 hours a day?
The answer is simple and easy, moderation and a routine where all other things such as physical
exercise, diet, and sleep are more in ratio to the screen-time. Rather than decreasing the use to a
high degree, many things else can be practiced:
 More physical activities (going to a public park to play football or any other supports)
 More sunlight as it helps develop eyes(helped through morning walk)
 20-20-20 rule (information about what it is displayed at the end)
  Better sitting posture(sitting straight and not leaning forward to focus but rather magnify the unreadable item
from the computer)
 Good lighting
 A low brightness of the screens
 Screen time shouldn’t be getting in the way of social interaction. Have screen-free zones, like family meals. (Yes,
that means parents too.)
 Sleep schedule should NOT be interrupted by any way (this is the most important)\
20-20-20 rule: Basically, every 20 minutes spent using a screen, you should try to look away at something that is 20
feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds. Unless you have a tape measure you probably won’t be able to
accurately measure 20 feet. Being exact isn’t the key. You should just try to focus on something far away from you.
Consider looking out a window at an object that seems far away, like a tree or a building across the street. If you work
in a small space, try walking outdoors or into a larger area where you can rest your eyes. Also hyrdrate urself in the
meantime.