Whilst smartphones are part of everyday life for the majority of adults, more and more teenagers are becoming reliant upon them for social connections, directions, games and education. 

Dr Maite Ferrin, Consultant Child and Adolescent Phsychiatrist at Re:Cognition Health spoke with the Independent about how smartphones may be affecting our children.

From sleep to eyesight, productivity and attention span, the article explores some of the problems associated with overuse of smartphones. 

“Overusing smartphones could be detrimental to the vision of children and people of all ages,” says Dr Ferrin. 

‘Excess stress can be placed on the eyes, which can cause fluctuating vision, eye strain, eye fatigue, headaches as well as neck, shoulder and back pain, so it’s important to limit the duration of usage.

Overuse of smartphones could potentially increase the risk of ocular symptoms such as myopia (short-sightedness), and ocular surface disease leading to dry eye syndrome and blepharitis. “

“The prolonged use of devices also reduces the attention span in children and may impact other functions of the brain, including our ability to remember things,” warns Dr Ferrin. She

advises, “Using smartphones in moderation and establishing boundaries with children is key to reducing these symptoms.”

Read the full article here.