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Fixated on going blind from phone usage habit in the dark before bed. PLEASE HELP.

Posted , 4 users are following.

lscmichelle
lscmichelle

I am now 21 but have developed a huge fear of going blind in the future probably in my 30s or 40s or even sooner. During my younger days probably 13 14 years old I used to sneak my iphone in bed and play games before i go to bed. I used my phone in pitch dark as I didn't want my parents to catch me. 

So now here I am, worried sick everyday and have been living in regrets since. This sucks because I have no one to blame but myself if I go blind one day due to glaucoma or macular degeneration.

All I do is beat myself up and overthink and think till i can't sleep or function properly even though my eyesight is fine right now. I've been to the ophthalmologist at least 3 times in the past few years just to reassure my fears, but still I can't help but to think that I'll go blind soon, maybe in a few years and GOD it takes the life out of me now. I want to gain my motivation back, I want to fight this and enjoy life at the moment but I can't as I am obsessed with this thought and haunted with deep regrets every single second. 

I think I am going mad and I can't deal with this anymore. 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • devang37955
    devang37955 lscmichelle

    Posted

    Let me just assure you that playing games in the dark WILL NOT make you blind. Your fears are completely irrational.

    Glaucoma is not caused by straining your eyes it's kind of a genetic condition.

    Macular degeneration should also not be a cause of concern to someone as young as 21.

    The fact that it's been 7 years since your iPhone gaming and there are no changes in your vision should reassure you that you won't go blind.

    There's professional gamers out there who stare at the screen much much longer than you did and their vision is completely fine.

    The worse that could happen to you is an upgrade in prescription and wanting to wear glasses but that's it.

    Don't beat yourself up thinking you're gonna go blind because rest assured, you're not.

    • lscmichelle
      lscmichelle devang37955

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply. It’s just that the unknown of the future plus the guilt is causing me to not function on a daily basis. All i can think of is the scenarios that will happen after i go blind and then i’ll have a serious panic attack. I regret it so much, if I hadn’t do it or at least stopped halfway then I wouldn’t be in this situation. I hate myself
  • puzzleking63
    puzzleking63 lscmichelle

    Posted

    I'm not sure if this can accelarate blindness. If you are going to suffer eye problems then you may just get this regardless. My step-father developed macular degeneration when he was well in his 80's. I have recently had a detached retina and had surgery. There was no specific cause for this except the consultant said taht I was over 50 and short-sighted! Good luck

  • gill70346
    gill70346 lscmichelle

    Posted

    Your habit will definitely NOT cause you to get glaucoma or macular degeneration but it is not a good habit to be in as it can cause other eye problems.  The fact that the opthalmologist has tried to reassure you suggests that you will definitely not go blind in the near future. It also suggests that it is a mental issue rather than a physical issue and you really need to see a counsellor to work out how to deal with your anxiety which is making your life so difficult.. You are not going mad, and you can deal with it, but only if you take some positive steps such as seeing a counsellor and only you can sort that out.

     

    • lscmichelle
      lscmichelle gill70346

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply, I acknowledge I’m having extreme anxiety because of this since i can’t eat nor sleep. I am highly convinced that I’ll go blind soon and no one will take care of my parents; then i remembered its me who brought this to myself and the guilt kills me. I’m so tired of living in constant fear, so exhausted
  • martinicus
    martinicus lscmichelle

    Posted

    I agree to what others said. I remember a radio discussion with an ophthalmologist and she said that it's a popular myth that reading in the dark (no matter if it's a phone or a book) can cause vision issues. However, such habits can cause unnecessary eyestrain or lead to dry eye syndrome (if you look too intensely without blinking often enough).

    In general, you should avoid looking at light sources that have big contrast differences with the environment because your eye has hard time to decide where to focus - on the light or on the dark area of the environment. For the same reason, glossy computer screens can be straining for eyes and matted screens are better. But it's mostly related to eye iris mechanics and muscle, and not to optical nerve, retina or cornea.

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