As someone who spends the majority of each day starring at a computer screen, this doesn’t exactly surprise me. But new findings from VSP Vision Care indicate that by the time an average American child reaches the age of 17, they have spent nearly 6 years looking at digital devices.
So what does this mean for when it comes to vision health?
Looking at smartphones, computers and tablets means exposure to blue light, and this has created an epidemic of digital eye strain. This can lead to sore eyes, headaches and trouble focusing.
As blue light enters the eye, it causes visual strain because it is defocused in front of the retina and scatters, which is then perceived as glare. As a result, the eyes are forced to work overtime.
In addition to that, exposure to blue light can affect natural melatonin production, which then affects how well someone sleeps. And worst case scenario, excessive blue light exposure can actually lead to vision loss.
It’s challenging to avoid blue light, most of us are many times tied to a digital device, but this survey demonstrates how far it’s gone. It’s pretty startling.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
After reading this article, have a break and maybe take a moment to look out the window.
Photo: Flickr user philcampbell
