How to use mobile phone correctly to protect your eyes and health

Spending too much time looking at your mobile phone screen often leads to digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome. It can cause dry eyes, blurry vision, headaches, and even affect your sleep. This happens because the blue light from phone screens affects your body’s natural sleep rhythm and puts extra pressure on your eyes, especially in low light.

But you can reduce these effects by making a few small changes, like adjusting your screen settings, taking regular breaks, and maintaining a comfortable viewing distance. Here’s how to use your phone in a way that’s easier on your eyes and better for your health.

How to use your mobile phone correctly to protect your eyes and health?

If you spend hours on your phone every day, your eyes are probably feeling the strain. Staring at screens too long can lead to dryness, blurry vision, headaches, and even mess with your sleep.

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But with a few smart changes, you can reduce that stress and protect your vision in the long run. Here’s how to use your phone in a way that’s easier on your eyes:

Try the 20-20-20 rule

Staring at a screen for long stretches makes your eyes work overtime, especially when you’re focusing up close without a break. That constant strain can build up fast. To ease the pressure, follow the 20-20-20 rule, which is every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. It’s a quick and easy way to relax your eye muscles and prevent fatigue.

Keep your screen brightness in line with your surroundings

If your screen is too bright in a dark room or too dim during the day, your eyes have to work harder to adjust. Keeping your brightness level consistent with the lighting around you can help reduce that strain. Most phones also have an “adaptive brightness” feature that automatically tweaks the screen based on your environment.

Turn on night mode or a blue light filter

Blue light from screens affects the sleep cycle and can add to eye strain, especially at night. Switching to night mode or enabling a blue light filter in the evenings can help soften the screen and make late scrolling a little easier on your eyes. Most phones have this feature built in, which you can find under your display or accessibility settings.

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Keep your phone at a healthy distance

Hold your phone about 16 to 18 inches from your face and avoid looking down at it for too long. Raising your screen closer to eye level helps reduce pressure on your neck, shoulders, and eyes all at once.

Take regular breaks

Scrolling endlessly for hours can wear your eyes out. Try setting a reminder to take short breaks, get up, walk around, or just put the phone down for a few minutes.

Don’t forget to blink

When you stare at screens, you blink less without realising it and that dries out your eyes. Make it a habit to blink more often, especially during long phone sessions, to keep your eyes moist and comfortable.