If you experience headaches, eye strain, or even dizziness after using your smartphone, you probably suffer from Digital Eye Strain (DES). A 2022 study, Digital Eye Strain: A Comprehensive Review (1), by Indian researchers showed that DES has soared to 80–94% among adult users today, compared to 5–65% before the pandemic when extensive use of smartphones became commonplace.
Children, in particular, are gravely affected, as their developing eyes are more vulnerable to brightly-lit (blue light) screens and screen flicker. Another study titled Binocular Accommodation and Vergence Dysfunction in Children Attending Online Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Digital Eye Strain in Kids (DESK) Study-2 that looked specifically at DES among children (2) noted that nearly 65% of children who used smartphones for online classes during the Covid pandemic faced these issues. There is a growing understanding that the flickering of LEDs responsible for backlighting on a smartphone can cause headaches and eye strain when set to low brightness levels.
According to industry reports, this risk is also found to be high among pregnant women and individuals prone to epilepsy. Adding to the concern is asthenopia, or eye fatigue, characterised by aching eyes, difficulty focusing, and sensitivity to light.
Dr Venkateshwar Rao, a Pediatric Ophthalmologist, explains, “With the growing reliance on devices like smartphones and tablets, exposure to blue light has increased, raising concerns about its potential impact on eye health. Blue light and excessive screen time present specific risks for children, including the development of myopia, symptoms of digital eye strain such as dry eyes and blurred vision, and sleep disturbances. While blue light is not conclusively proven to cause permanent eye damage, responsible screen habits remain crucial for maintaining eye health, particularly for children.”
Low-frequency Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) in traditional smartphones—typically below 200Hz or even less than 500Hz—exacerbates these symptoms, with invisible flicker triggering migraines and, in severe cases, seizures. As screen time increases, so does the risk of DES, threatening eyesight and overall well-being for both children and adults. This is why it’s important to have a smartphone with high frequency PWM, as it significantly reduces flicker and minimizes eye strain, ensuring a more comfortable viewing experience.
Technology companies like OPPO are increasingly addressing health concerns alongside traditional priorities like productivity and entertainment. OPPO devices feature adaptive colour temperature adjustments based on environmental lighting. This means that the screen’s colour tone changes to match the surrounding light, ensuring that there is no stark contrast that could lead to visual discomfort.
