GLOBAL online studies have pointed to prolonged screen time in users above 60 years, sparking concern about its impact on their mental and eye health.

Bahrain is no exception, with several families in the kingdom worried about elders at home glued to their smartphones throughout the day and well into the night.

Among them is media professional Joanna Leslie who said that her parents, aged 72 and 65, spend inordinate amounts of time doomscrolling.

“My dad watches political interviews while my mum is more into spiritual content,” the Riffa resident told GulfWeekly.

“When I wake up at night to get a glass of water, I see them scrolling on their phones. My mum ends up on her phone for hours during the day as well now that she is retired,” she added.

Marketing manager Saira Ranj from Seef District noted that for senior individuals like her mum, who have lived in Bahrain for only a few years, finding friends her age is difficult, which often leads to a reliance on technology for connection. Additionally, she expressed concern about the ‘debilitating’ effects of short-form content.

“When she replies to generic ‘good mornings’ with the dedication of a schoolteacher, I don’t know whether to laugh or fret,” Saira remarked.

According to psychologist and family specialist Jalila Al-Khabbaz, the loss of social roles, coupled with the loss of peers or declining health, puts older adults face-to-face with loneliness.

“Researchers estimate that up to 30 per cent of older adults experience loneliness that drives them towards the digital world,” noted the administrative director at Aisha Yateem Family Counselling Centre.

Additionally, she highlighted that there is little social stigma attached to the elderly spending long hours on devices – unlike younger people. It is often seen as a means of quick communication, keeping up with technology and combating boredom or loneliness, only to later discover the negative effects.

“Recent studies have found that feelings of alienation stemming from strained family relationships or fear of the unknown drive older adults toward compulsive phone use, which can develop into nomophobia, or separation anxiety. While older adults may believe that screens bring them closer to the world, the opposite may be true,” Jalila warned.

Nomophobia is the fear of not having a working mobile phone.

The expert raised concern over how dependence on screens intensifies during wars and conflicts, nodding to prolonged screen time among the elderly in Bahrain since the start of the Iranian attacks a month ago.

Explaining this tendency, Insights Therapy clinical psychotherapist Eman Nooruddin said: “Screens, specifically social media triggers dopamine – the chemical that the brain releases when we experience something rewarding. Each time you get a notification, watch a funny video, look up a news update, or receive a message from your grandchild, you experience a dopamine release, which makes you go back for more.”

She pointed out, however, that while it is natural to seek the ‘rush’ especially amidst the uncertainty of war, the issue arises when screen time replaces what the nervous system needs for its wellbeing – sufficient sleep, exercise and human connection.

“Excess screen time could lead to sleep deprivation,” warned Al Hilal Hospital Muharraq clinical ophthalmologist Dr Veena Rajeevan.

She went on to highlight the negative effects of prolonged screen time on eye health.

“Even a single night of sleep deprivation can compromise the tear film and can cause transient blurred vision. Sleep deprivation alters the quality and quantity of tears leading to dryness, itching, burning sensation and scattering of light. It also leads to eye fatigue contributing to eye twitching or eye lid muscle spasms,” she explained.

Russian expatriate and artist Irina Averinos, 67, admits to spending more time on her phone, which has affected her vision and sleep.

“Sometimes, I want to quickly check something but end up staying online for longer,” said the Jerdab resident, noting that with age, life often becomes more sedentary, which could spike up screen time.

“However, when I am with family members or friends, I keep my phone aside,” she added.

 

DR VEENA’S GUIDELINES FOR SCREEN USE

  • Position screen monitors properly, with comfortable seating.
  • Avoid screen glare, adjust screen brightness to match surroundings. Use of blue light blocking glasses                 reduces glare and helps to normalise  sleep disruption to some extent.
  • Promote conscious blinking to lubricate eyes. Normal blink rate is 15 times per minute. Screens                 reduce blink rate to five to seven times per minute leading to dry eye.
  • Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
  • Perform regular eye tests with a trained ophthalmologist.

 

EXPERTS’ ADVICE TO LIMIT SCREEN TIME

  • Train the elderly on the purposeful use of technology.
  • Engage them in mentally stimulating activities like reading, solving puzzles, and purposeful social conversations.
  • Establish daily routine and fixed screen times.