NEW DELHI– Scrolling through social media reels for just an hour on a smartphone can lead to significant eye strain, according to a new study by researchers at SRM Institute of Science and Technology.
Published in the Journal of Eye Movement Research, the study found that short-form social media videos cause greater pupil fluctuations compared to reading e-books or watching longer videos, leading to visual fatigue.
“Social media content causes greater pupil fluctuations than reading or watching a video,” the researchers noted, adding that prolonged smartphone use of more than 20 minutes at a time can also contribute to wider physical and mental health issues, including psychophysiological disorders.
Using a portable, low-cost system to track visual activity among young Indian adults, the team measured blink rate, pupil diameter, and inter-blink intervals during one hour of smartphone use across three activities — e-book reading, video watching, and viewing social media reels.
The results showed that reels, with their rapid brightness and intensity changes, reduced blink rates and increased inter-blink intervals, causing higher levels of visual fatigue.
About 60 percent of participants reported mild to severe discomfort after prolonged phone use, with symptoms including eye strain, neck pain, and hand fatigue. Nearly 83 percent said they also experienced anxiety, sleep disturbances, or mental exhaustion.
To counter the strain, around 40 percent of respondents reported using measures such as blue light filters or dark mode settings to lessen the impact of screen exposure. (Source: IANS)
