Screen Time and Macular Degeneration: Are Phones, Computers, and TVs Safe?

Medically reviewed by Christopher L. Haupert, M.D.

Written by Torrey Kim

Posted on August 17, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Blue light from screens cannot directly damage your retina, but research suggests that spending four or more hours a day on screens may increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

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“Does anyone see blurry for a while after being on their phone or tablet?” one myAMDteam member asked. Another member shared a similar concern: “How dangerous is it to spend time on iPhones?”

While blue light from screens can’t damage your retina, it could affect your vision in other ways. Keep reading to learn whether screen time from phones, computers, tablets, and TVs is safe for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

What Is Blue Light?

When talking about light from screens, it’s important to know what blue light is. Most studies on TV, phone, and computer use with macular degeneration focus on blue light.

Blue light is a type of visible light. It has high energy and a short wavelength.

Blue light is emitted by LED screens in digital devices such as computer monitors, smartphones, tablets, and television sets. But most of the blue light that reaches you comes from sunlight.

Blue light from the sun emits 10 times more light than many LED lights in retail stores. An iPhone, for instance, emits even less blue light than most LED lighting.

🗳️ Do you experience eyestrain after prolonged screen time?

Yes

Sometimes

Something else/other

Does Blue Light From Screens Cause Macular Degeneration?

Current research doesn’t indicate that blue light exposure causes macular degeneration.

AMD causes damage to the macula (part of the retina) over time. This affects your central vision, which allows you to see what’s straight ahead of you.

If you’re exposed to a lot of blue light, it could interact with molecules in your retina, allowing free radicals to form. Free radicals are molecules that may damage the delicate cells in your eyes.

Your body contains melanin, a substance that naturally protects your eyes from the blue light emitted by screens and the sun. But melanin gradually decreases as you age. By the time you reach 65 years old, about half of your melanin is gone, which is why older people are at higher risk of AMD.

What Recent Research Says About Screen Time and AMD

While screen time isn’t directly linked to AMD development, exposure to screens may increase the risk of developing AMD. There are several risk factors that make someone more likely to have AMD during their lifetime. These factors include smoking, having a family history of AMD, and being over 50.

One study found that people who used screens four hours a day or more had a significantly higher risk of developing AMD than those who used screens for three hours or less daily. The researchers suspected that the link could be due to retinal thinning caused by too much light exposure.

The study authors pointed out that television viewing was linked to AMD risk more strongly than computer use was. More studies are needed to determine whether the link between screen time and AMD risk exists across different populations.

Evidence on whether screen time worsens AMD is inconclusive. Speak with your ophthalmologist about whether you should limit screen time based on your specific symptoms and AMD stage.

Digital Eyestrain: Why Screens Can Feel Uncomfortable

If you’re looking at your computer or phone or watching TV with macular degeneration, you may feel discomfort in your eyes. This is caused by reduced blinking when staring at a screen. It’s not due to blue light damage or AMD progression.

Symptoms of screen time overuse include:

Blurry vision
Dry eyes
Headache
Teary or watery eyes

Reducing Eyestrain During Screen Time

To reduce symptoms of eye fatigue when you’re using screens, consider using some of these tips:

Sit at least 25 inches (about 2 feet) from every screen.
Adjust your screen height so you’re looking down at the screen instead of up at it.
Look up from the screen and focus on a distant object occasionally to give your eyes a break.
Use artificial tears if you experience dryness.
Dim the lights on your screens, or consider using a matte screen filter.
Wear glasses instead of contacts if you’ll be looking at the screen for more than a few minutes.

Some eye experts suggest using the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eyestrain when using screens. Every 20 minutes, you’ll look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds or so. This gives your eyes a rest and helps you readjust to the screen.

The 20-20-20 rule won’t cure or prevent AMD, but it’ll help make your eyes more comfortable when you’re focusing on screens.

Making Screens Easier To Use With AMD

In addition to taking steps to reduce eyestrain, there are ways to make screens easier to use if you have AMD. These tips can help you improve comfort and see screens better.

Magnify When Possible

Most computers, tablets, and smartphones allow you to adjust the view to make the text larger.

Some myAMDteam members have shared their preferred iPad settings for macular degeneration. One involves going to the “Settings” option on your iPad, then tapping “Display and Brightness.” Under that, you can tap “Text Size” and then use the slider to make text bigger.

Other tablets, televisions, and smartphones usually have similar settings. On tablets and smartphones, you can often increase text size simply by using your fingers to enlarge a section you’re viewing.

“I prefer using a Kindle or my cell phone to read, as I find the adjustable brightness and text size more comfortable than printed materials,” one myAMDteam member said.

Your computer may require you to adjust text size one by one within different programs. For instance, you may need to increase the text size on your internet browser and separately change the text size in word processing programs like Microsoft Word.

Adjust Screen Brightness

Dimming screens may help reduce eyestrain. Almost all TVs, tablets, computers, and smartphones allow you to easily turn down the brightness.

Some devices even offer a “night mode” setting for the evening hours, when brightness may be more irritating to your eyes. It may also help to adjust the contrast on your TV, phone, tablet, and computer screen.

If the contrast between the background and text on the screen is less jarring, you may not develop as much eyestrain.

“I adjusted the brightness down a bit, and that helped,” one myAMDteam member said. “I also changed the background to black and the print to white, which helped greatly. I get blurry when I’m on too long.”

Try Voice-To-Text Settings

Many TVs can be set to respond to your voice rather than having to look at the screen for directions. This allows you to speak into the television or remote and ask it to adjust settings, such as reducing the volume or changing the channel.

Smartphones, computers, and tablets often have an option for the device to read text to you. This can be helpful if a text message or an email on your screen is too small to read or if your eyes hurt. You can verbally ask the device to read to you using assistive technology such as Alexa or Siri.

If you enjoy reading books on your Kindle, phone, or tablet, consider switching to audiobooks. “I listen to audiobooks using earphones while out walking or even vacuuming,” one myAMDteam member said. Your library may even allow you to digitally check out audiobooks so you can listen at home at no cost.