In summary, Ophthalmologist Tor Paaske Utheim and the Norwegian Opticians’ Association report increasing problems with dry eyes, which they link to increased screen time. Other risk factors are dry air, contact lenses, air conditioning, eyelid cosmetics and air pollution. Students at NTNU in Ålesund notice that a lot of scrolling leads to tears and burning in the eyes. Markus Henriksen struggles with dry eyes and it affects the everyday. Utheim’s advice for treating dry eye includes reducing risk factors, setting the screen low, taking regular breaks to blink, avoiding reflective screens, and ensuring well-fitting glasses. Untreated dry eyes generally get worse year after year. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Kristine Hildre Dimmen (18) and Iselin Berge-Aam (20) check their mobiles diligently during lunch with their friends. They study biomarine innovation at NTNU in Ålesund, and both in their school work and in their free time there is a lot of screen time. – In the evening when I turn down the brightness, I never seem to get it down enough. I actually want it even darker. I notice that my eye starts to water and it stings a little, says Berge-Aam. – I’ve had a bit of an eye problem before, and it’s very taxing on the eyes if you’re sitting in the dark with a bright screen. The girls’ mobiles are at the front during lunch. Photo: Øyvind Sandnes / news Kristine Hildre Dimmen also struggles with her eyesight, and has seen the screen limit on social media. – After I have been in one hour, a notification comes up and then I become more aware of it. It breaks that trance when you sit and scroll. I’ve gone from 11 hours to 40 minutes on TikTok, so that helps. Markus got swelling on his eye – It happened quite unexpectedly, says Markus Henriksen (27) from Kristiansand. In the new year in 2021, the IT consultant had a problem with swelling of the eye. Markus Henriksen works as an IT consultant in Oslo. Photo: Private – The eye becomes dry, and it can feel a bit like sandpaper on the eye when it’s at its worst. Henriksen thought it would go away by itself, but it didn’t. The eye problem gave him a headache and it became problematic to sit in front of the screen at work because he had to take eye drops all the time. What is dry eye? Dry eye is an inflammatory disease. The symptoms can be many. Dryness, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, burning, was too bright, discomfort when using screens and using contact lenses. In addition, many people have pain, red eyes, impaired vision, itching and watery eyes. When it comes to pain, it can occur with wounds to the eye’s window, the cornea, which will not heal. Some people only have a couple of the symptoms, and it is rare that someone has them all. Source: Ophthalmologist and professor Tor Paaske Utheim at the Eye Health Clinic and Dry Eye Clinic. – Important to remember to blink According to ophthalmologist and professor Tor Paaske Utheim, there has been a relatively large increase in the prevalence of dry eyes in recent years, and there is also an increase in younger people. – It is more than just a little discomfort. It is an inflammatory disease. Many patients find that they are less productive both at home and at work, and that their quality of life is greatly reduced, he says. – Screen use, contact lenses, air conditioning, eyelid cosmetics and air pollution are risk factors for getting dry eyes, says Tor Paaske Utheim at the Eye Health Clinic and Dry Eye Clinic. Photo: Line Lyngstadaas Utheim believes there are many reasons why many people struggle with dry eyes. Frequent screen use means that we blink far less often when we look at a screen. – Blinking is important as it helps to renew the tear film. It is common for patients to get worse throughout the day after many hours of screen use, and for them to get better during periods without a screen, he says. Utheim’s advice for preventing dry eyes Reduce risk factors such as screen use, contact lens use, air conditioning, eyelid cosmetics, air pollution and little physical activity. For many it is difficult to reduce screen time, but there are some things that can be done. Place the screen low so that you can look down at the screen. It will be beneficial for the eye. Remember to take regular breaks where you blink. Blinking is important as it helps renew the tear film. Avoid screens with reflections. Matte screens have been shown to come out better in studios. Make sure you have glasses that are well adapted to screen use. If you have first developed dry eye, the most important thing is to get help and suppress the condition before it develops. Untreated dry eyes generally get worse year after year. Øyvind Sandnes / news – My father is an ophthalmologist and a bit strict about it Students at NTNU, Pernille Elvestad and Victoria Skau, say they have bought physical books, instead of e-books. – I haven’t thought about it with my vision, mostly that it’s stupid socially and that you can’t get out, says Pernille. – You know your eye hurts if you look at the screen a lot. My father is an ophthalmologist, so he is a bit strict about it, and takes the mobile further away from his face, says Victoria. Øyvind Sandnes / news – Go for a walk – I use the phone for everything, both at school and in my free time, says Oda Fjeld. She says she tries to vary the distance on the mobile screen if she spends a long time with it. – And maybe go for a walk when you notice your eyes getting a little stiff. Øyvind Sandnes / news – Excited about screen time as students Anniken Ekroll, Iselin Zumbrunnen and Andrea Nordbrønd Myklebust study nursing. – I notice that I can get a headache and my eyes get a little tired, says Anniken, who is trying to wear reading glasses. – It is important to have a break, says Iselin and is excited about screen time now that she has become a student. – Last week I actually made settings on my mobile phone to reduce screen time, says Andrea. The Norwegian Opticians’ Association also sees a clear trend towards development, and that more people are getting dry eyes. – This applies to both well-grown and young people. It is a trend in Norway that has changed quite a lot in the last 15 years, says general secretary Hans Torvald Haugo. – What do they think is the reason for that? – We are in more dry air than before, and we do more with the screen than before. Our eyes are not designed to see so closely over a long period of time, so sitting for hours with our noses in a book or on a screen, we are not designed for by nature. – If we concentrate and look at a screen, we tend to blink. It distributes the tear film over the eye, says Hans Torvald Haugo. Photo: Sindre Thoresen Lønnes / news Have to treat yourself Ophthalmologist Tor Paaske Utheim believes dry eyes are not something you can just ignore, because it leads to more problems. – The most important thing is to seek help and knock down the condition before it develops. Untreated dry eyes generally get worse year after year because inflammation causes cell damage on the surface of the eye. Markus Henriksen wishes he had known more about dry eye and that the condition is getting worse. – When I realized that, I became even more worried. Henriksen has received light treatment, which he believes has changed his life. Now he feels that the weekday at work is going well, but he is still not rid of the disease. – It is kept in check by treating it at home myself, for example with a heating mask on the lids and with eye drops. And I imagine that I have to do that for the rest of my life. Markus Henriksen does not think he will get rid of the problem with dry eyes. – For my part, it’s about keeping it at a comfortable level. I probably won’t go back to where I was. Photo: CGI Norway Published 02.09.2024, at 05.37
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Too much screen time causes more people to suffer from eye problems – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
