The Digital Age is said to have officially begun in the mid-20^th century when the world’s largest economies shifted from traditional industries to an economy based on the latest information technology.

The internet as we know it became public in 1993, with desktop computers becoming fairly common later that decade, followed in short time by laptop computers and smartphones. In 2024 it is estimated that 91% of adults in the US own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011.

In 1964, Marshall McLuhan said, “In this electronic age we see ourselves being translated more and more into the form of information, moving toward the technological extension of consciousness.”

It’s likely McLuhan anticipated a world in which technology would consume vast amounts of our time and attention, not only manipulating how we communicate and consume information, but contributing to our very psychological, psychosocial, and ultimately our biological evolution.

Screen Time and Vision Problems

The average screen time in the United States is said to be around 7 hours and 3 minutes per day on internet-connected devices according to the most recent data. Vermont is ranked 42^nd out of the 50 states, averaging around 4 hours and 37 minutes.¹

Screen time has become so ubiquitous in education, communication, recreation, and entertainment that it is nearly impossible to go without it for some amount of time each day. Even one hour a day in front of a screen can increase chances of developing myopia or nearsightedness, by 21%.²As a result, it is expected that nearly half of the world’s population will be nearsighted by 2050.³

Vision and eye related concerns caused by excessive screen time are collectively referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Essentially damage caused by repetitive motion, CVS is not dissimilar to carpal tunnel syndrome, except for the eyes. CVS includes everything from myopia to presbyopia (a decline in the eye’s ability to focus), to dry eye, eye discomfort, and eye strain.

Blue Light and Your Eyes

Blue light is emitted from all handheld electronic devices, desktop and laptop computers, and televisions. It is the shortest and highest energy wavelength of visible light and with overexposure, can cause significant damage to many parts of the eye including the macula, retina, and photoreceptors.

Damage from blue light from smartphones is particularly important because smartphones are often used in dim light, close to the eyes. Unlike ordinary computer vision fatigue, damage from blue light is serious, cumulative, and irreversible, and includes: ⁴

Cell damage in both the inner and outer layers of photoreceptors (rods and cones), and in the retina
Damage to the fine capillaries in retina cone photoreceptors
Edema, or swelling of the retina
Development of cystoid spaces (cysts) further indicates edema
Inner blood-retinal barrier damaged

The Evolution of Sight

It is considered inevitable that the more time humans spend sitting and relatively sedentary in front of computers and smart phone, the more likely those behaviors will affect our evolution as a species.

Studies are ongoing, but it is agreed that children should be reducing their screen time as much as possible to avoid the most prevalent effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting children’s total screen time to no more than one to two hours per day. For children younger than 2 years, screen time is discouraged altogether.⁵

Evolution is inevitable, and only time will really tell the effects of our growing addiction to screen time. You are most likely reading this on a screen right now! Maybe you could have just skipped it…