Smart Phone Syndrome?

**Gannon** · January-03-14, 12:40 AM

http://www.wtop.com/267/3528317/Mobi...f-eye-syndrome

I've been waiting to see something like this appear...but I suspect it is much worse than mere blinking deficiency.

I'm guessing it will end up affecting user's focus ability, peripheral sensitivity, and especially night vision...perhaps bright-light-intrusion to dark-scene recovery.

SO glad I don't have one, just because I'd at least be addicted to the damn thing. Bad enough my honey brings hers to bed, solitaire is her sleep aide.

Just being flip...

**Zacha341** · January-03-14, 12:50 AM

Hah! I use a smart phone but not a slave to it. I keep much of what is on it synched to a computer and use that to read off such things as my calendars and what not. An un-synched SP is a problem waiting when the phone is gone or not charged.

Loved SP when traveling lately for fast cal access and ability to use it to pull up my flight and access that off at airport scanner for boarding pass.

But staring endlessly at that little screen. Forget about it... I rarely text...

**Zacha341** · January-03-14, 12:53 AM

BTW what is "dark-scene recovery"?

**JBMcB** · January-03-14, 08:17 AM

These stories come out every few years or so. It's just eye strain. You can get it from reading books or newspapers for too long, as well. Just don't look at any one thing for too long, including a book, a magazine, TV, a painting, the sun, etc...

**Gannon** · January-03-14, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

These stories come out every few years or so. It's just eye strain. You can get it from reading books or newspapers for too long, as well. Just don't look at any one thing for too long, including a book, a magazine, TV, a painting, the sun, etc...

Keep telling yourself that.

When the Walkman was introduced, some were concerned over the direct volume assault to the ear-brain. They were right. We've a generation of folk with irreversible hearing loss.

"Huh?"

Repeated misuse of your eyes damages them permanently over time.

**Gannon** · January-03-14, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

BTW what is "dark-scene recovery"?

MY term for the ability for the eye-brain to recover from a bright light assault...returning to proper night vision...which I only recently learned that most people lose after they get older.

It takes time to recover, and some bad-quality lighting imprints itself for longer than others. I suspect some very high-intensity LEDs can nearly immediately cause damage, that is what I feel with some applications...even flashlights, but especially the early LED "bulbs" used in video projectors. Don't get me started on laser-light. How long did it take for them to NOT be aimed directly into crowds during public light shows?!

There is an analogy with sound, too. Some loud sounds over a duration can impact the human perceptual machine, causing ringing in the ears for days...and other high-SoundPressureLevels can cause immediate and permanent damage.

Many folks no longer hear silence. Please don't mention The Hum, that is different. Perhaps my lifelong obsession avoiding sound damage helps me perceive that...since a 1979 [[or so) Van Halen concert at Cobo Hall that I can never forget. My right ear has never been the same!

**coracle** · January-03-14, 09:34 PM

I don't use a Smart Phone or a Walkman but I do enjoy watching the chicks on the TV Shopping Networks when my wife is out. [[it's costs too much to watch when she's home). Are there any known side affects I should watch for?

**rb336** · January-03-14, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Keep telling yourself that.

When the Walkman was introduced, some were concerned over the direct volume assault to the ear-brain. They were right. We've a generation of folk with irreversible hearing loss.

"Huh?"

Repeated misuse of your eyes damages them permanently over time.

he was right. no matter WHAT you are reading/watching, it is very important to vary your focus regularly. When I started doing that, my eyesight improved, and I now have a weaker prescription

**NickCharles** · January-04-14, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

he was right. no matter WHAT you are reading/watching, it is very important to vary your focus regularly. When I started doing that, my eyesight improved, and I now have a weaker prescription

Yep. "Replenishing the rods & cones" was the phrase, back before folks left mental ligature marks, on other folks, with all manner of high-handed double-talk.

**Gannon** · January-04-14, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

I don't use a Smart Phone or a Walkman but I do enjoy watching the chicks on the TV Shopping Networks when my wife is out. [[it's costs too much to watch when she's home). Are there any known side affects I should watch for?

As they say...if your erection persists longer than four hours...

...you are a SUPERHERO, and should fly to your own damn planet!

[[you're making the rest of us look bad)

**Gannon** · January-04-14, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

he was right. no matter WHAT you are reading/watching, it is very important to vary your focus regularly. When I started doing that, my eyesight improved, and I now have a weaker prescription

My eye doctor is less rich after I discovered the Tibetan Eye Chart exercises...

...my eyesight has not only stabilized, after a five-year hiatus it actually improved...and oddly evened out. Both eyes use the same prescription now. Makes it easier juggling the contact lenses when drunk.

That said, life remains an Impressionist Painting to me if I don't wear correction.

But that one time I was able to maintain a full yoga headstand for an hour off the fabulous back porch of my old friend Seiger...I could see FACES on the pier at the Pine Lake Marina across the way. Scared the crap outta me!

Cheers!

**Gannon** · January-14-14, 06:32 AM

While I think the article's title is a bit over-reaching, this is an interesting article.

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/sm...our-2D11890018

All these years, I've been trying the wrong approach to fry my brain.

Still not convinced Smartphones are either smart or phones. The quality of phone conversations has gone way down since Verizon stopped supporting the StarTac, LOL! Plus, I've noticed a new problem, when one digitally-compressed phone connects with another, different technology...their compression schemes and voice-enhancement seem to 'compete', and usually quite poorly. Especially if either human talks quieter than normal, or doesn't have the microphone in exactly the right position.

My Livonia friend's office just replaced their trusty old analog phone system with a fancy new digital thing, the drop-outs are simply horrible. His IT guy says it is only him, when I know it is merely he who complains when his customers...especially the overseas ones...lose tolerance with his repeated requests to repeat what they've just said. I cannot stand seeing that office number in my caller ID now...technology dread!

Cheers, anyways...the computers will take over soon. Struggle is Quixotic.