Smartphones have literally become an extension of most individuals who live dual lives both on and offline.Social media and the endless content in the Internet has made it difficult for most to let go of their new favorite plaything: the smartphone. However, health authorities have already warned against the negative health effects of such devices, and a new warning has been issued against its use, lest people would suffer from temporary blindness.
Researchers from London have studied two cases of transient monocular vision loss, or the loss of vision in one eye, and published their research in the The New England Journal of Medicine. According to NPR, researchers analyzed two women, the first being a 40-year old who complained of temporary blindness that lasted for 15 minutes after waking up before dawn and checking the news on her smartphone while in bed. Another woman was a 22-year old who complained of impaired vision at night, as she scrolled through her phone in the dark.
After several tests that included brain scans and cardiovascular examinations, both women were found to have no optic or neural problems. Upon examination of the two women's smartphone habits, they revealed that they would look at their phones in the dark using one eye only, with the other covered by the pillow, as they were lying on one side. This caused the eye that absorbed light from the smartphone to take time to adjust to the dark.
Researchers defined the temporary vision loss as "transient smartphone blindness," and said that while it is technically harmless, they recommend viewing smartphones in the dark using both eyes. Other health authorities have even strongly encouraged not using smartphones and other electronics in the bedroom because of its effects on melatonin.
The blue light emitted by smartphones and other devices signals the brain to stay awake and keep the melatonin hormones low, making the body feel awake and not sleepy, and thereby sleep later in the night. Health authorities recommend an electronics ban an hour or more before heading to bed, especially for children, as sleep is vital in brain development.