FACT CHECK: Does endless scrolling damage your eyesight?

CLAIM:

Watching reels for long hours puts the eye in a constant “near vision” mode, leading to strain and potentially causing or worsening myopia (minus power).

 

FACT:

Current evidence suggests that prolonged screen time may increase the risk of developing and worsening myopia in children, particularly with limited outdoor activity. Experts add that in adults, excessive screen use is more likely to cause eye strain and dryness rather than permanent myopia progression. They recommend outdoor play for children, regular breaks, proper viewing distance, and following the 20-20-20 rule.

In a viral Instagram reel posted by Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, who has over 5 million followers on Instagram, the influencer discusses the impact of scrolling reels on eye health. In the clip, he is seen in conversation with ophthalmologist Dr Rohit Shetty.

In the reel, Ranveer reflects on how scrolling has become unavoidable in modern life. “Problem of looking at reels. Your eye is basically getting strained but it's become a part of normal human life, so it's going to be there,” he says. Suggesting a practical fix, he adds, “The hack is to put your phone down and look at something in the distance. Because it unstrains your eye a little bit.”

Responding to this, Dr Rohit Shetty explains the science behind worsening eyesight. “What causes myopia is because of a chronic state of accommodation. If I'm looking at one thing, my eye goes into a chronic state of accommodation,” he says, adding that the eye begins to secrete biological factors that adapt the body toward near vision. “The body behaves to what you want.”

Drawing a parallel, Ranveer compares it to posture, “It's like if you permanently sit like this (stoop), your posture is going to be there.” Agreeing, Dr Shetty responds, “Exactly. And you're doing that inside your eye.” He further explains that near vision is associated with minus power, which is why myopia is called nearsightedness, suggesting that the brain adapts based on sustained visual habits.

The reel has gained over 3.06 lakh views, 4,753 likes, and 2,939 shares, sparking conversations around screen time, eye strain, and the rising prevalence of myopia.

What does the research say about screen time and myopia?

Research on whether prolonged screen use worsens nearsightedness shows evolving evidence—earlier reviews found mixed results, while newer large-scale analyses suggest a clearer association. Overall, longer daily screen time, especially when combined with low outdoor activity, appears to increase the risk of developing or worsening myopia in children.

A 2020 systematic review examined 15 studies involving 49,789 children aged 3 to 19 years. The authors noted that digital screen time has been “cited as a potential modifiable environmental risk factor” for myopia, but associations have not been consistently reported.

While seven of the included studies found an association between screen time and myopia, the pooled meta-analysis of five studies (20,889 participants) found no statistically significant link. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was 1.02, suggesting that screen time was not clearly associated with prevalent or incident myopia in that subset.

“The results for screen time and myopia are mixed. Further studies with objective screen time measurements are necessary to assess evidence of an association between screen time and myopia,” the review concluded cautiously. 

However, more recent large-scale evidence suggests a stronger association.

A 2025 dose-response meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open analysed 45 studies with over 3.35 lakh participants (mean age 9.3 years). Unlike earlier reviews, this study examined whether increasing hours of daily screen exposure changed risk levels.

The findings showed that each additional hour of daily screen time was associated with 21% higher odds of myopia. The nonlinear analysis found that myopia risk increased significantly between 1 to 4 hours of daily screen time — from an OR of 1.05 at one hour to 1.97 at four hours.

The authors concluded, “A daily 1-hour increment in digital screen time was associated with 21% higher odds of myopia… indicating a potential safety threshold of less than 1 hour per day of exposure.”

This suggests a dose-response relationship, meaning risk appears to rise as screen time increases.

Beyond meta-analyses, prospective cohort data also provide important insight. A longitudinal study of 523 children aged 6–14 years followed participants over 24 months, using cycloplegic refraction measurements and mobile monitoring apps to track smartphone usage.

The study found that daily smartphone use was positively associated with myopia progression. Importantly, protective factors were also identified - more outdoor time and greater viewing distance reduced progression risk. Children who spent more time outdoors (2.1 vs. 1.2 hours/day) had slower progression, and those who held screens farther away had lower risk. Parental myopia also significantly influenced progression rates.

The authors concluded, “Daily duration of smartphones use, time of outdoor activity, distance of screen, and parental myopia are predictors of childhood myopic progression.”

What do doctors recommend?

Dr Karpagavalli E, Regional Head – Clinical Services at Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, explained that “prolonged viewing of reels and short videos can worsen myopia progression in children. In adults, however, it does not typically cause progression, but may lead to eye fatigue, dryness and strain.”

“Prolonged near-vision viewing in children can increase myopia progression significantly,” she said. She advised parents to encourage outdoor play and ensure children take regular breaks while using screens, adding that devices should be viewed at a comfortable distance rather than held too close.

To minimise risk, she recommended avoiding continuous scrolling without interruption, maintaining adequate viewing distance, and limiting screen use in dim light. “Follow the 20-20-20 rule - after every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to relax the focusing muscles,” she said. 

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS