Mobile phone and tablet screens ‘damage eyesight’

Millions of young people are putting their eyesight at risk by using the latest smartphones and tablets, a study suggests.

They are being endangered by radiation from the devices’ LED displays, a group of Spanish researchers claim.

This allegedly stops up to 99 per cent of cells doing their job effectively, while increasing cell death by up to 89 per cent.

Victoria Aguirre PhD was part of the research team at Complutense University of Madrid. She said: ‘It’s really a question of the new generation of mobiles and tablets that use LED lighting.

‘It’s not restricted to one manufacturer or another. Children and young adults have clearer lenses and so all the light comes into the eye and goes into the retina.

‘Elderly people have fewer natural ocular protectors, light-absorbing melanin, inside the eye which is why they are also especially at risk.’ Researchers claim TVs, computers, and eco-friendly LED lights also pose a risk.

However, cynics noted the study was co-funded by the Spanish company Tecnología Sostenible y Responsible.

It claims to hold exclusive commercial rights to LED screen protectors, under the brand name Reticare, which it says reduces cell death by up to ten times.

Optometrist Helen May, an adviser for the Royal National Institute Of Blind People, called the research ‘interesting’.

But she added: ‘Further studies are needed before coming to any conclusion on whether everyday exposure to LED light, through using computers and phones, can lead to retinal damage in the long term.’

Apple and Samsung declined to comment on the study.

Source :https://metro.co.uk/2013/09/10/mobile-phone-and-tablet-screens-damage-eyesight-3956463/