Are there harmful effects from sitting within 1-3 feet of a television screen for prolonged periods of time?
What, if any, are the harmful effects of watching a television screen from a very close distance, 1-3 feet, for 4-8 hours at a time? What does a television emit exactly that could be harmful? Radiation? Electromagnetic energy? Anything?
What is an effective distance, to the inch, for safely viewing a television screen without it causing any negative effects to a human body?
Additionally, apply the same series of questions to a CRT computer monitor…or a non-CRT monitor. What do either of these emit that could be harmful?
And lastly, assuming either type of computer monitor does emit something harmful…Are there any effective measures that can be taken for safe prolonged use with them, at home or in the workplace?
Greetings!
Thank you for asking this great question! I learned something new today because of it! ^_^
Actually, your eyes have specialized muscles that control the shape of the eye lens (for focusing) and your eye movements (to keep the eyes moving together). If an object is closer to the eye, as it is when you are close to the TV, the muscles controlling the lens automatically change, or accommodate its shape to bring the object into proper focus.
Some children and adults see the images on a television screen more clearly if they sit closer to it. According to The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), kids can actually focus up close without eyestrain better than adults, so they often develop the habit of sitting right in front of the television or holding reading material close to their eyes.
Research concludes that although television won’t harm the eyes, it may cause eye fatigue if you are sitting too close to it for a long period of time. Fortunately though, the tiny eye muscles mentioned above are like other muscles in the body: they may fatigue, but they are resilient. Your body, including your eyes, evolved to handle a lot of daily wear and tear.
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