A new survey commissioned by Vision Direct and conducted by One Poll has suggested that the average adult is not spending years, but decades staring at the screens of digital devices like smartphones, laptops, and television. Researchers came to the conclusion after analyzing the digital traits of 2,000 British adults. They found that the average person will be glued to their screens for more than 13 hours a day.
Digital Addiction on the Rise
According to the poll, an average adult spends 4,866 hours each year, from age 18-81, which means a staggering 301,733 hours will be spent just staring at digital screens. This time has increased drastically, as people are now locked down in their homes due to the coronavirus outbreak. The poll also found that video calls have been doubled during the time of quarantine.
"We're lucky to have devices that connect us with the outside world. A similar pandemic taking place 30 or 40 years ago would have seen people coping with the lack of contact in very different ways. However, it's important to be aware of what excess screen time can do in terms of your eye health and keep on top of overdoing it when it comes to screens," said Benjamin Dumaine, of Vision Direct, the Daily Mail reports.
Digital Addiction Badly Affects Eyes
During the poll, more than half of the respondents admitted that the time they spent staring at screens used to strain their eyes. At least 12 percent of the people who took part in the survey revealed that they do not take a break while using their digital devices.
"It's important to be aware of what excess screen time can do in terms of your eye health and keep on top of overdoing it when it comes to screens. We'd suggest making the most of the government's advice to exercise, to help give that essential screen break," added Dumaine.
The Chinese Woman Who Became Blind due to Digital Addiction
In 2017, a 21-year-old woman from Dongguang, China, lost her vision after she played Kings of Glory game for an entire day. Doctors who treated the woman had claimed that she was suffering from artery occlusion, a condition where the blood flow through the retinal artery is blocked. Friends of the victim revealed that she used to spend more than eight hours a day just on gaming.
