Overall, there are no actual long-term effects of screen-use in the dark, no matter what you are doing.
Blue light comes from the full light spectrum, so you're exposed to it when you're outdoors going through your day. But, when you're at home – at night, in the dark – there are high levels of blue light emitted from your digital devices. As the eyes are exposed to blue light, the retina breaks down.
But the constant bombardment of blue light may overwhelm the antioxidant effect and may very well speed up someone's chances of developing macular degeneration. How can this be prevented? Minimize the use of smart phone and mobile devices in the dark.
Constant exposure to blue light over time could damage retinal cells and cause vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration. It can also contribute to cataracts, eye cancer and growths on the clear covering over the white part of the eye.
Conversely, in a brightly lit environment, a darker screen can actually force your eyes to work harder. If truly concerned about eye strain or dryness, you might be better off investing in artificial tears or a matte screen for your device.
As a simple rule, remember that the brightness of your gadget should be equivalent to the light surrounding you, such that both the lights' radiance is similar. By doing so, they will blend in, causing the least damage to your eyes.
What's a healthy amount of screen time for adults? Experts say adults should limit screen time outside of work to less than two hours per day. Any time beyond that which you would typically spend on screens should instead be spent participating in physical activity.
This is to avoid prolonged time spent in close-up vision, which can lead to eye strain and is linked to myopia. The two-hour rule. This is aiming to limit leisure or recreational screen time, outside of study or work, to less than 2 hours per day.
Curved monitors provide less distortion, a wider field of view, and better viewing angles to prevent you from tiring out your eyes. Bottom Line: If your eyes hurt from staring at computers all day, consider getting a curved monitor that lets you take in the whole picture at once without straining your eyes.
Tempting as it might be to use your computer or phone before bed, studies have shown these devices can interfere with sleep by suppressing the production of melatonin. View Source , a natural hormone released in the evening to help you feel tired and ready for sleep.
Our Sensitive Peepers: After using your cell for the entire day, your eyes become tired and distended. The more you squint, the more you increase the chance of crow's feet, vertical lines by your brows and dark circles.
Night Light / Blue Light Filter on Android Device
Most Android devices should have built-in blue light filters that can be enabled or disabled from the Settings screen. However, the feature's availability and options depend on your specific device and version of Android.
When you stare at a screen for hours at a time, whether it is a computer, TV, phone or tablet, you are exposed to blue light from the device. Alarmist headlines claim blue light from too much screen time is blinding us. But there is no scientific evidence that blue light from digital devices causes damage to your eye.
Vision experts generally don't consider screens as a source of permanent vision damage, even if extended use can cause eye irritation. If you only look at screens for a few hours a day and don't experience any vision issues, you probably do not need to worry.
This time spent sitting and viewing a screen has been linked to mental health effects such as anxiety and depression. Adults who spend six hours or greater using screen time are more likely to suffer from moderate to severe depression.
Screen time recommendations for adults
Many adults spend hours in front of a screen each day at work. For a healthy balance, try to limit your screen time outside of work. Adults should try to limit total screen time to eight hours a day for work plus two to four hours for entertainment.
Sitting for hours at a time boosts the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. One study found that spending more than four hours a day in front of a computer or TV more than doubles your likelihood of dying or being hospitalized for heart disease — and exercise won't reduce the risk.
Too much screen time can lead to obesity, sleep problems, chronic neck and back problems, depression, anxiety and lower test scores in children. Children should limit screen time to 1 to 2 hours per day. Adults should also try to limit screen time outside of work hours.
In 2019, WHO, in its global action plan on ending childhood obesity and physical activity, advocated no sedentary screen time for 1-year-olds and screen exposure of less than 1 hour/day in 2-5 years old; lesser the better [61].
Take breaks.
The concept is to take a break from looking at your screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds while looking at something 20 feet away. Doing so relaxes your eye muscles (and gives you ample time to contemplate which fun, new iPhone or Android app you'll play with next).
[Point 5] Review your display brightness setting
This can greatly reduce the strain on your eyes. For example, in an office with normal brightness of 300-500 lux, the display brightness should be adjusted to around 100-150 cd/m2.
If you stare at a computer monitor or cellphone too long and then experience temporary blurry vision, it's likely because the moisture layer on the front surface of your eye is getting dry.