To find issues with technology I recalled upon my own experiences and asked my girlfriend for things she has noticed as well. One of the biggest negative impacts technology we have both experienced is eyestrain. After a couple hours of screen time, we both find that our eyes sometimes start to hear. It’s like a headache but just at the back of the eyes, and sometimes progresses into a full blown migraine.
After reading a few of the articles, I learned that eyestrain is a very common side effect of tech use and is well-documented. Not only does it occur from long exposure to screens, it can also stem from the glare, brightness, or viewing position of the screen. Even the way you’re sitting can impact it. This got me thinking on ways that eyestrain could be mitigated.
The articles often mention simply using technology less, or taking breaks, as the best or ‘only’ way to avoid eyestrain. I find this to be a pretty close-minded approach to the issue. Instead of solving the problem with the device, just use the problem-causing device less? I think we could do better. Therefor, my idea on how to mitigate eyestrain is to attack it at the root of the cause. After doing a bit of googling, I found that aside from all the other factors mentioned above – the main reason it happens at all is because of blue light. The main form of light emitted from electronics is known as ‘blue light’, and is harmful to our eyes. It’s completely unnatural, and after a long enough exposure, we often start to feel the side effects.
What if we could change the way screens work? What if screens didn’t emit blue light? My idea is to create a new type of electronic screen that uses a different type of light, that is more suited for eye and overall human health. My sketch is representative of this idea.
You must be logged in to post a comment.