Do you have digital eye strain? A study found that eye fatigue can result after just one hour of scrolling through social media videos on smartphones.

According to a study that was published in the Journal of Eye Movement Research, the condition can be brought on by both the amount of time spent on digital devices and the kind of content that is being used.

Compared to reading or viewing a video, social media content generates more pupil oscillations, according to the SRM Institute of Science and Technology experts.

Long-term smartphone use (more than 20 minutes at a time) might cause mental and physical health problems, including psychophysiological illnesses, according to the researchers.

Digital eyestrain, sleep disturbances, and visual-related issues are brought on by prolonged exposure to blue light from digital gadgets.

The researchers created a portable, inexpensive technology that assessed visual activity in order to investigate the effects of one hour of smartphone use on visual tiredness in young Indian adults.

Pupil diameter, blink rate, and inter-blink interval were all measured by the device. During an hour of smartphone use for social media reels (short films), video viewing, and e-book reading, measured eye activity was captured.

Due to constant fluctuations in screen brightness and intensity, social media reels exhibit greater screen variances, which can impact pupil dilation and decrease blink rate. Visual fatigue may result from this decrease in blink rate and increase in inter-blink interval or pupil dilatation, the researchers explained.

After using their smartphones for extended periods of time, 60% of participants reported mild to severe discomfort, which included hand weariness, neck pain, and eyestrain.

Additionally, 83% of those surveyed reported having some kind of psychophysiological problem, including mental fatigue, anxiety, or sleep abnormalities.

Forty percent of participants said they had taken efforts to lessen the discomfort, like turning on dark mode settings or utilizing blue light filters.