Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 01:55 AM Jun 2016

Temporary blindness tied to smartphone use in dark

Source: Associated Press

Temporary blindness tied to smartphone use in dark

Maria Cheng, Ap Medical Writer

Updated 11:13 pm, Wednesday, June 22, 2016

LONDON (AP) — Warning: Looking at your smartphone while lying in bed at night could wreak havoc on your vision.

Two women went temporarily blind from constantly checking their phones in the dark, say doctors who are now alerting others to the unusual phenomenon.

The solution: Make sure to use both eyes when looking at your smartphone screen in the dark.

In Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, doctors detailed the cases of the two women, ages 22 and 40, who experienced "transient smartphone blindness" for months.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/medical/article/Temporary-blindness-tied-to-smartphone-use-in-dark-8319412.php

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

bananas

(27,509 posts)
1. There are apps which adjust the screen for night use
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 03:45 AM
Jun 2016

They make the screen much dimmer than the built-in settings,
and also reduce the blue light levels, which can interfere with sleep.
And they adjust these levels according to the time of day,
so the screen is normal during daytime, and dimmer/warmer at night,
with a gradual transition during twilight.

For Android phones and tablets: "twilight"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.urbandroid.lux&hl=en

For Windows, Mac, and Linux computers: "f.lux"
https://justgetflux.com/

Try them, you'll like them!
edit to add: and they're free!

winstars

(4,214 posts)
3. In the latest update for iOS, 9.3 Apple introduced "Night Shift" which has a warm hue to it...
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 05:22 AM
Jun 2016

Gets rid of that blue-white light. You can schedule it to come on and off. I have mine set for 10:00pm to 7:00am.

getagrip_already

(14,250 posts)
4. doesn't anyone just sleep anymore?
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 10:13 AM
Jun 2016

My wife does this. She will spend hours reading books on her iphone at night. I just go to sleep when I'm tired, and don't pay any attention to the phone till morning (do not disturb mode is great).

Of course, I grew up in a world without email or smartphones, but so did she. Guess I'm just a ludite.....

 

Hestia

(3,818 posts)
5. It's from draining all the Vitamin A from your system. It's when your sight turns purple
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 10:17 AM
Jun 2016

when you come in from a long time out in the sun.

 

snooper2

(30,151 posts)
6. not sure if this is completely a bad thing- People dickted to their smart phones having symptoms
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 12:38 PM
Jun 2016

Just like any other bad addiction....

 

AtomicKitten

(46,585 posts)
7. "Make sure to use both eyes when looking at your smartphone screen in the dark."
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 03:03 PM
Jun 2016

Uhhhh. Okay. Like the other eye is on the door?

splat

(2,284 posts)
8. I go temporarily blind when I turn out the lights on our screen porch at night, too.
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 03:07 PM
Jun 2016

And when I walk out there when it's dark from the bright kitchen, I can't see a thing for a few minutes. I trip over the rattan chairs and cats and bump into the glass table.

Just a different light source. Use of a retinal screensaver recommended.

 

Egnever

(21,506 posts)
9. This seems pretty far fetched
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 03:53 PM
Jun 2016

If this was a real phenomenon one would think we would have heard of this long before now.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Temporary blindness tied ...