Our phones causing us long-term eye damage
Glasses useless against growing eye disease that hits the over-50s
LAPTOPS have been linked to a degenerative eye disease that affects the over-50s but cannot be overcome with glasses.
An alarming new study has found that Age-Related Macular Degeneration is on the increase and affects as many as one in every 15 people over the age of 50 in Ireland.
The blue light emitted from the screens of smart phones, laptops and iPads is adding to the disturbing increase in the disease.
Leading eye expert Don Stack warned that once the damage is done it cannot be reversed, and he added: ‘Glasses are not a solution.’
He linked the long-term use of laptops and smart phones to the growth in the disease and in the increase in the number of patients developing cataracts.
Information for the intensive study was gathered from 5,035 participants from around Ireland between November 2009 and July 2011.
The study, by medical group BMJ Publishing, is the first to look into the prevalence of AMD.
Mr Stack – who specialises in the study of AMD at Opitcalrooms, a clinic which specialises in macular degeneration here – said: ‘Unfortunately glasses are not a solution for AMD, and once there has been significant damage done, it cannot be reversed.
‘We suspect long-term use of digital media may also lead to retinal damage over time.
‘The accumulative damage over a lifetime from light exposure may well be rapidly accelerated by the intensity, proximity and duration of use of digital devices.’
In the US there is an increase in cataract and macular degeneration cases. In 2012, there were approximately 24million cases of cataracts in people aged 40-plus, which is a 19 per cent increase from the year 2000 numbers. By 2050 it is projected that people developing cataracts is going to hit 50million, with 5million suffering with AMD.
Mr Stack’s comments are backed by optometrist Liz Grennan who said a number of factors cause the speeding up of the aging process of the eye’s retinal cells, resulting in AMD. She said: ‘These include age, high blood pressure, smoking, high blood glucose levels and in recent times it is strongly believed blue light as emitted from digital devices.
‘The rise in use of LED, and CFL light sources as well as the daily use of tablets, laptops, smart phones and tablets is responsible for the increase in blue light exposure. This differs to UV light which most people are aware of and take precaution to guard against overexposure.
‘Blue light is part of the visual spectrum but a certain band is responsible for maximum retinal cell death. Blue light filters on lenses or attached to screens can reduce the amount of blue light exposure thus protecting the retina from the dangers of developing AMD.
‘This protection is most important in the much younger, clearer eyes of children and young adults, where screen time and phone usage is usually quite extended. More awareness is needed to prevent the rates of retinal damage escalating.’
The good news, however, is that if early signs of AMD are detected in time, preventative measures can be taken to slow down the process and stop it in its tracks. Dietary and lifestyle changes can have a significant positive influence on the prognosis.
Ms Grennan added: ‘Regular eye checks, a good diet that includes colourful vegetables and fruit, a healthy lifestyle and no smoking can benefit in maintaining eye health.’
The Your Defining Moment campaign will run this month from next Monday and is supported by the National Council for the Blind, the Irish College of Ophthalmologists, the Association of Optometrists Ireland and Novartis, and it will run from September 14 to 20. AMD screening tests will be carried out during the nationwide campaign.
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