Americans are so addicted to their digital devices that it is posing a threat to their eyesight, a new report indicates.
According to a report by The Vision Council, 93.3 percent of Americans spend two or more hours every day on digital devices for work or play, resulting in "digital eye strain." A shocking 30 percent spend more than half of their waking hours (nine hours or more) using a digital device.
The condition is defined as "temporary physical discomfort" felt following two or more hours in front of a digital screen. Its symptoms include redness, irritation, dry eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, back and neck pain and headaches.
The severity of digital eye strain can be tempered by adjusting things like text size, posture, computer setup and, of course, the amount of time we spend sitting in front of the screen.
"We look at our mobile phones more than 100 times a day, yet people aren't understanding how this constant use of technology is impacting vision health," said Dora Adamopoulos, OD, medical adviser to The Vision Council. "Digital eye strain is likely to continue to grow as a health concern."
The report, titled "Digital Eye Strain Report 2015", was released at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which runs through January 9.