Smartphones as a ‘Traffic Light for Eye Health’... Check Your Eyes If You Keep Enlarging the Font [Health Talk]

[Financial News] If you keep enlarging the font on your smartphone, hold the screen closer to your face, or squint with one eye while looking at it, you should not simply dismiss these changes. They may be caused by major eye conditions such as macular degeneration or cataracts, and a detailed examination may be necessary.
Kim Ki-young, a professor of ophthalmology at Kyung Hee University Hospital, said, "Because small letters, straight lines and numbers on a smartphone screen can be viewed at a glance, it is easy to notice visual changes that differ from usual. In addition to presbyopia, which makes it difficult to see nearby objects, people should actively check for major eye conditions if their field of vision appears distorted or the center of their vision becomes blurred."
Using a smartphone for long periods can cause fatigue, dryness and temporary blurring, but these symptoms usually improve when usage is reduced and the eyes are allowed to rest. However, if blurring or distortion persists or recurs, macular degeneration or cataracts should be suspected.
Professor Kim said, "Macular degeneration is a representative age-related eye disease. It occurs when abnormalities develop in the macula, located at the center of the retina, causing changes in central vision. Some letters on a smartphone screen may appear to be missing, straight lines may look bent, and the center of the screen may appear distorted."
Cataracts are also common among older adults. As the lens becomes cloudy, vision may appear generally hazy, glare may worsen, and night vision may decline. If your vision appears generally blurred while using a smartphone or bright screens cause increased glare, it is worth checking for cataracts.
Because one eye can compensate when a problem develops in the other, it may be difficult to notice early warning signs on your own. Therefore, when looking at a smartphone, it can be useful to cover one eye at a time and check the screen.
Professor Kim said, "It is also important to pay attention to changes in your parents’ smartphone-use habits. If they frequently enlarge the font more than before, hold the screen closer to their face, squint with one eye, or tilt their head while looking at the screen, they should check for visual discomfort and visit an ophthalmologist for detailed examinations such as a fundus examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT)."
To protect eye health when using a smartphone, avoid looking at the screen continuously for long periods. Rest your eyes by looking into the distance from time to time. It also helps to blink consciously and avoid bringing the screen excessively close just because the text is difficult to see.
 


[email protected] Kim Ki-young, Medical Specialist Reporter