How Digital Devices Are Affecting Your Health & Vision

From telegraph to telephones, from declaration of love through letters which had to be
sent by pigeons to messages through the modern Whatsapp, communication has come
a long way. A combination of the inventions of great inventors like Alexander Graham
Bell and Charles Babbage has surely changed the way we look at the world. What was
initially meant to be a source of communication across seas and oceans has now become
one of the main reasons why communication among family members has drastically
reduced. Along with this, the internet which was supposed to be a source of information
for all is now the leading cause of spread of numerous kinds of incorrect data which in
fact harms many. We have certainly heard numerous instances where sensitive and
classified information has gotten into the wrong hands and proved to be detrimental to
the entire functioning of a large scale organization.

The rapid growth of technology in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century has
certainly revolutionized the entire world. From toddlers to school going teenagers, from
the youth to the senior citizens, everyone is so hooked up on everything that the internet
has to offer, that it is impossible to find anyone without some kind of knowledge of the
ever growing internet technology. The rapid growth in technology has altered our lives in
such a manner that most of our day is spent glued to different kinds of devices that
demand our complete attention throughout the day. Everyone is so engrossed in their
phones and computers, that we barely have any time left for other activities.

The growth of technology and the accessibility of these devices to one and all have
completely changed our lives. Earlier, it was the norm to see children goofing around
and playing in parks, but these days, all the children of the current generation require is a
few hours on their tablets or x-boxes, and they are wholly satisfied. Even toddlers, who
earlier used to be fascinated by the large variety of toys solely made for them nowadays
demand the services of an i-pad to take in a morsel of food. And, desperate parents
certainly do the needful. This has made our youngsters lazy to such an extent that they
continue sitting in the same position for many hours at a stretch. Being used to getting
everything done with a click of a button has definitely reduced any kind of physical
exercise which in the long term has immense adverse effects.

While the growth of technology has definitely helped in finding a cure for numerous
deadly diseases, it has also led to many new ones. There are many kinds of illnesses and
diseases prevalent today which were unheard of in the past. Sitting for long hours in
front of the computer or glued to the TV screen causes strains in the neck and spine.
Studies have also shown that spending too much time on the phones leads to the
penetration of harmful radiations to our brain, which can be detrimental to our nervous
system. Nowadays, we see numerous youngsters roaming around with huge headphones
on their heads. This not only leads to hearing loss if used for long durations of time, it
also makes them oblivious to the outside world which can lead to fatalities if this occurs
on a busy road.

Other than this, excessive use of technology leaves us totally helpless in case of its
absence. People these days do not even bother knowing their own contact number since
it is definitely saved on their phone. In the absence of GPS, one is left absolutely lonely
and stranded in an unknown land. Reminders and alarms which are found on every
smartphone have ensured that we do not have to use our grey matter. Obvouisly, digital
devices are absolutely necessary in today’s fast paced life, but the huge dependence
people have on them where its absence leads to frantic worry is something to be worried
about. Since information is so easily accessible to everyone, it has made us humans
immensely lazy. With one push of a button our dirty laundry is clean and perfectly dried,
and we can spend all the saved time glued to our phones.

It has become very natural of us to sheepishly admit that the first thing one does after
waking up is to check our phones, so that we do not appear left out to the world. It has
become a painful necessity to keep checking one’s phone every few minutes, as if indeed
all the solutions to the world problems are locked away in our favourite handsets. Our
minds have been programmed in such a way that it becomes impossible to spend time
in our favourite restaurants in the company of our loved ones without checking-in on
Instagram or posting snaps of the food. Not an hour goes by without us scrolling down
our Facebook feed or replying to messages on Whatsapp. Admittedly, messages and
emails are essential in today’s tech-centered world, but one can certainly wonder is it so
necessary to be always available online, rather than spending time with those around us?

The tremendous growth of social media in the past decade has contributed immensely
to our addiction to the modern gadgets. It has almost become mandatory to upload our
vacation photos on Facebook or Instagram, making it often feel that a vacation is
incomplete without it being posted on the internet. Certainly Facebook and Whatsapp
help us in staying in contact with far off relatives and friends, but what about those who
live with us? Engrossed in the world of social media, we often ignore the people sitting in
front of us, while all we are doing is Snapchatting with a long lost friend. When we hear a
ping from the phone, all matters at hand are left forgotten in order to see what is going
on in the world of social media. We can often see children roaming around lost in malls,
while their parents are busy replying to some message or simply scrolling through
Facebook.

This large amount of time spent on phones and internet certainly has its adverse effects
on our health. While strains and backaches are secondary, something that is hugely
affected by our time spent stuck to the screens of our phones and laptops is our eyes.
Staring on a screen all day without any kind of movement definitely takes a toll on our
eyes. Those who spend large durations of time online often complain about the soreness
and dryness of the eye. Though this is not surprising if it occurs in those who work on
computers all day long, it is slowly spreading amongst teenagers and young adults. Since
the straining of the eye is long term and gradual process, it is often diagnosed at a very
late stage.

Nearsightedness is something which cannot be prevented, but if it occurs due to a large

amount of on screen time, it can be surely prevented by spending lesser time online.
Sometimes, people who suffer from eye strain are unable to identify that themselves. It is
known that prolonged screen exposure causes dryness and soreness of the eye, but it
has numerous other symptoms. Many people complain of headaches and blurry vision
when they use laptops and phones for a long time. Though digital eye strain itself is not
a permanent effect, it can lead to many other problems. Visual impairment is something
which is almost always caused by it.

Nowadays, it is very common to see people suffering from eyesight problems. Be it

myopia, hypermetropia, presbyopia or astigmatism, these eyesight problems are
something that affect both the young and the old. And with the blatant screen exposure,
this has definitely increased. Studies have shown that those who are already affected by
these eyesight problems face a greater risk when it comes to digital eye strain. Children
who suffer from this often exhibit slower learning skills, since eyes are the most essential
organ for reading and writing. It also reduces the work ability of adults, thereby proving
to be harmful for their careers.

What do we do to prevent this kind of situation? Well, numerous preventive measures

and steps must be taken so that our online culture does no harm to our vital eyes. Many
specialists suggest using computer specific lens and spectacles while spending time
online. Titan Eye Plus provides numerous kinds of corrective lens and computer specific
glasses which can be easily incorporated to our every day lives. These lenses are
specifically designed to cater everyone’s needs. From high power lenses to lenses for
those who require it only while using the computer; Titan Eye Plus ensures that everyone
has their requirements fulfilled.

There are many other preventive measure that can too be taken. Experts have always
advised to those using the computer daily that they should take optimum amounts of
breaks from their on screen time so that the eye too gets to rest. A proper posture must
be maintained while spending time on the computer so that the neck does not get
strained. Also, since staring at a screen results in blinking less, one should definitely take
adequate breaks and blink more to reduce dryness. There are also numerous kind of
filters that can be put on the laptop screen to ensure that they do not send out any
harmful radiations.