Effect of Using Smart Phones on Balance Functions

Abstract

mart mobile devices have increased in popularity among the general population; they have many benefits in daily life, such as facilitating communication, acting as portable all-in-one devices that include a phone, camera, GPS and MP3 player and assisting handicapped people by providing verbal or motion-activated applications. During use, mobile phones emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation, and no previous generation has been exposed during childhood and adolescence to this kind of radiation. The extent and severity of long-term health risks in total are not yet observable. But, with the recent widespread use of smart mobile devices, serious psychophysical health problems have increased worldwide. Because smart phone technology is based on blue light, there is a high probability of damaging vision due to the shorter wavelength of light when used for a long period of time. If the visual fatigue continues in everyday life, it can affect visual processing and can cause various problems such as ocular pain, damaged corneal epithelial cells, conjunctival hyperemia, and decreased visual acuity. This continued visual fatigue also has a negative effect on visual feedback processing that integrates the vestibular organ system with the somatosensory network and can further cause an interruption in the body’s postural control system. In addition, excessive use of smart mobile devices can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS) which is defined as asthenopia induced by excessive viewing of computer screens (including those on smart mobile devices) and presents with visual, ocular and musculoskeletal (especially neck and shoulder) symptoms.