The study analyzed data from 45 different studies involving over 335,000 participants to find a complex relationship between screen time and nearsightedness risk. The analysis collected data from various digital devices like smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, computers, and televisions sets, which are collectively referred to as digital devices. “As children increasingly embrace smart devices at younger ages and spend more time on digital screens, there is an urgent need to better understand the association of digital screen time with myopia,” the researchers wrote.
When this screen time was combined with computer usage, the odds increased by 77 percent. “It’s counterintuitive,” she noted. “But the theory is that focusing on close objects for extended periods can put stress on the eye’s focusing system, which may influence the shape of the eye, causing it to elongate more than it would naturally.
” This applies for looking at anything closer than 22 inches from the face. Digital screens typically present images at a relatively fixed distance, whereas in natural settings, your eyes are constantly shifting focus between objects at varying distances. This means your eyes maintain a consistent focus for extended periods and this constant, near-distance focus strains the muscles responsible for changing your eye’s focus.
When staring at a screen, your eyes are constantly focused on a fixed distance, usually very close to your face, which prevents the natural s.