Amid the growing concerns over the impact of social media platforms on mental wellbeing, experts are now warning that excessive reel watching can cause permanent eye damage.
Leading ophthalmologists reported an increasing number of eye-related disorders, particularly among children and teenagers (0-16 years), because of unrestricted time spent on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
“Reels may be short, but their impact on eye health can last a lifetime,” warned Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology 2025 Congress president Dr Lalit Verma at the Joint Meeting of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India Ophthalmological Society in Dwarka.
He also shared that a young patient who had spent prolonged hours watching reels developed eye discomfort and issues with tear production. “We are seeing a sharp increase in cases of dry eye syndrome, myopia progression, eye strain, and even early-onset squinting, especially in children who spend hours watching reels,” he added.
Dr Harbansh Lal, chairman, Organising Committee, and president of All India Ophthalmological Society, said: “The constant screen fixation reduces blink rates by 50%, leading to dry-eye syndrome and accommodation spasms. This can lead to early myopia and permanent eye strain.”
Experts suggest the 20-20-20 rule to overcome the screentime problem. Under the rule, the person has to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds in every 20 minutes.
