Continuous use of mobile phones before bedtime in the dark can initially cause dry eyes, and strain your eyes. Direct glare of over 30 minutes can even cause irreversible eye macular degeneration, resulting in rapid deterioration of vision.

The fact is that the mobile devices expose us to high energy visible light or blue light, which in certain experiments in laboratory with high dose of exposure has shown to cause changes in certain cells of the eyes. The light or blue light is also part of the light from LEDs and sunlight. K. Shetty, chairman and managing director of Narayana, says that eyes could be affected after continuous and prolonged use of mobile phones in the dark. And this habit may not cause enough damage that can lead to permanent vision loss if a person uses it occasionally. But it would definitely strain the eyes. He also suggests some precautions, including maintaining a comfortable working distance from the device, be it a mobile phone, and ensuring that the screen is bright enough and the fonts big enough to read comfortably.

It is also advisable for a person to follow the rule — every 20 minutes, stare at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will bring back your blink rate to normal and relax the muscles in your eye.