Growing Epidemic Among Smartphone Users: Temporary and Permanent Screen-Induced Blindness

LED Screens Can Also Cause Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Obesity, and More

Research and warnings about excessive screen use causing poor eye health as well as behavioral, emotional, mental and physical health issues are NOT new.

Warnings about kids’ screen use have been issued by many health experts including the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association as well as the World Health Organization. Earlier this year a $300M federal study determined that American kids’ brains are also being compromised by screens. No wonder Silicon Valley parents have been severely limiting their own kids’ exposure to screens. This isn’t a new trend either.

There’s obviously plenty of scary research and warnings about screen use. An article from the New York Post provides more:
“Medical professionals are warning phone users about ‘eye strokes’ after a man in China went temporarily blind after staring at his device in the dark, reports the South China Morning Post.”

The man, identified as Wang, from Xi’an in Shaanxi province, says that he momentarily lost his sight after playing games on his smartphone with the lights off.

Wang’s doctor, Lei Tao, attributed Wang’s blind spell to an “overuse of electronic items,” which can lead to “excessive strain on vision.” Wang indeed claims he had a habit of playing on his phone after going to bed – much to the annoyance of his wife.

Temporary screen-induced sight loss is a growing epidemic among smartphone users, according to Lei, who says he sees around 20 (mostly) young sufferers of the ailment every month. Lei adds that “the rate of [permanent] blindness is also high.”

Temporary or permanent blindness is pretty serious. This being the case, perhaps internet and screen addiction should be taken as seriously other forms of addiction before the literally blind are leading the literally blind.

yogaesoteric
April 7, 2020