Hyderabad : In spite of repeated warnings from medical professionals about the health hazards of continuous watching of digital screens like TV, Computer, mobile, smartphones and lap-tops, people are getting used to too much of mobile use and video gaming, and more so, they are allowing their children also to use the digital screens, cutting down their out-door games and other activities, and thus endangering their health, and eye-sight in
It may be recalled that studies have revealed that excess playing of video games could lead to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, eye problems, memory loss, disturbed sleep, depression, diabetes, etc., and the blue revolution that is sweeping the society now a days would adversely affect the eye sight also as the blue rays would damage the retina. Studies showed that while video game players exhibit more efficient visual attention abilities, they are also much more likely to use navigation strategies that rely on the brain’s reward system (the caudate nucleus) and not the brain’s spatial memory system (the hippocampus), and this meant that people who spend a lot of time playing video games may have reduced hippocampal integrity, which is associated with an increased risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
It is reported that the blue light that is emitted from the digital screens would disturb the sleep as they affect the production and release of Melatonin harmone, which is controls the sleeping process. The blue light will also badly affect the retina in the eyes and cause sight
Notwithstanding all these research studies and warnings from the experts, the use of digital screens has been on the increase and the doctors are saying that there has been a 12 per cent increase in the cases relating to eye problems in the past one decade. It is ironical that now a days, the parents are giving digital screen devices (tabs, smart phones, etc) to their children so that they would not create any trouble and they would not disturb them.
Eye specialists say that eye problems among children has increased considerably in the city (Hyderabad) during the past five years, nearly 20 per cent of them needed spectacles at a young age, and this should be taken serious note- of by the parents. Doctors are advising that indoor activities by children should be reduced and they should be habituated to outdoor games. Children as also adults should observe certain norms while using digital screens, to reduce the risk accompanying it. They should make it a habit to blink the eyes at least for 20 times a minute, and move their eyes away from the screen once in 20 minutes. Use of cell phone after switching off the lights in bedroom in nights should be avoided, they advice. Doctors feel it is high time the people reduced the use of digital screens and also stop their kids from using the same for long time. (NSS)
