This closer distance — plus the often tiny font sizes on smartphones — could put added strain on people who already wear glasses or contact lenses, according to the study, which appears in the July issue of Optometry and Vision Science.

“The fact that people are holding the devices at close distances means that the eyes have to work that much harder to focus on the print and to have their eyes pointed in right direction,” said study co-author Dr. Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the SUNY State College of Optometry in New York City. “The fact that the eyes are having to work harder means that people may get symptoms such as headaches and eye strain.”

Texting and browsing the Web on smartphones can also result in dry eye, discomfort and blurred vision after prolonged use, the study authors point out. Previous studies have also found that up to 90 percent of people who use computers experience eye problems.

Rosenfield got the idea for the study while commuting to work on the train and noticing that people using smartphones seemed to be holding them very close to their eyes.

Given that more and more adults and children are using smartphones to write and receive messages or look up restaurant reviews, it made sense to measure exactly how close people were holding their phones.

The experiments were relatively simple ones. In the first, about 130 volunteers with an average age of 23.2 years were asked to hold their smartphone while reading an actual text message.

In a different experiment, 100 participants, whose average age 24.9, were next asked to hold their smartphone when reading a web page.

The researchers then measured the distance between the device and the eyes as well as the font size.

When reading printed text in newspapers, books and magazines, the average working distance is close to 16 inches from the eyes, but the study volunteers writing or sending text messages held their phones, on average, only about 14 inches away. In some people, it was as close as 7 inches, Rosenfield said.

When viewing a web page, the average working distance was 12.6 inches.

The font on text messages tended to be slightly larger (about 10 percent, on average) than newspaper print, but web-page font was only 80 percent the size of newspaper print and, in some cases, as small as 30 percent, Rosenfield said.

The findings hold messages for doctors and smartphone-users alike.

Given the ubiquitousness of these handheld devices, eye doctors might consider testing people’s vision at closer distances and prescribing glasses for closer distances.

But there’s a simple way for smartphone addicts to minimize eye strain: Increase the font size on your device, advised Dr. Scott MacRae, a professor of ophthalmology and of visual science at the University of Rochester Medical Center and an eye surgeon.

This is especially important for sustained reading, like reading a book on Kindle, he noted.

Font size on an e-book reader is usually pretty easy to do. For other handheld devices,” MacRae said, “the problem is to figure out how to do it.”

If you’re a regular computer user, try using Verdana 12-point font, the only font designed specifically for computers, MacRae said.

The authors are now also assessing Kindles and IPads, but those results haven’t been published.

More information

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has more on how to keep your eyes healthy.

By Amanda Gardner
Provided By HealthDay.org

When eating out, people who used a large fork for bigger bites ate less than those who used a smaller utensil, according to findings released online in advance of publication in an upcoming print edition of the Journal of Consumer Research.

In conducting the field study in an Italian restaurant, Arul Mishra, Himanshu Mishra and Tamara M. Masters, all of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, provided two sizes of forks to modify customers’ bite sizes. The researchers found that diners who used large forks ate less than those who were given small forks.

The reason for the discrepancy, the study authors suggested, is that people who eat out have a well-defined goal of satisfying their hunger. This makes them more willing to invest energy and resources to meet that goal, such as making menu selections, eating and paying the check.

“The fork size provided the diners with a means to observe their goal progress,” the investigators explained in a journal news release. “The physiological feedback of feeling full, or the satiation signal, comes with a time lag. In its absence, diners focus on the visual cue of whether they are making any dent on the food on their plate to assess goal progress.”

The research team put their conclusion to the test by varying the portions of food. They found that when served larger portions, diners with small forks ate significantly more than those with larger forks. In contrast, when customers were served smaller portions, the size of their fork did not affect the amount of food they ate.

The study authors pointed out that their findings apply to restaurant customers only — not people eating at home who may not have the same goals of satiating their hunger as restaurant customers.

To avoid overeating, the researchers suggested that people learn to better recognize and understand their hunger cues and how much food they should eat.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on portion size pitfalls.

Provided by
HealthDay.org

Before you head outside, check out this guide to summer skin conditions so you can avoid ruining a lovely summer day. And remember: Sunburn can make skin ailments worse — not to mention increase your risk of cancer — so slap on that SPF30 broad-spectrum sunscreen every day before heading outside

Heat Rash (“Prickly Heat”)

This rash, caused by blocked sweat glands, shows up in areas prone to chafing during hot, sticky weather — like your thighs or the folds of your skin. If you’re planning to play or exercise outdoors, wear lightweight, loose clothing in fabrics that let your skin breathe. Also steer clear of heavy body lotions or powders, which clog your pores and make you more susceptible to heat rash. If you feel dizzy or nauseated after being out in the sun, call your doctor right away — this may signal heat exhaustion.

Insect Bites

Flies, mosquitoes, fire ants and other creepy-crawlies can leave you with itchy, raised red welts. Your best defense: Use an insect repellent that contains DEET, especially at dusk and dawn. After parties and backyard swims, dump the water from your wading pool, ice cooler and other containers, since mosquitoes breed in stagnant waters. And if you notice a red, bull’s-eye-type ring around a mosquito bite, see your doctor — this can be a sign of Lyme disease.

Rashes From Poisonous Plants

Have you ever noticed patches of red bumps and weeping blisters on your skin after a hike or an afternoon in the garden? Then you know there are few skin ailments more irritating than that caused by the oil on poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. You can even develop the rash just by touching a gardening tool or a pet that has rubbed up against one of the plants.

Learn to recognize the poisonous plants in your area, and ask your dermatologist about over-the-counter “ivy block” lotions. Also wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts during outdoor walks, and then wash them in hot water when you’re done. Gardening? Use disposable gloves — or wash them afterward, every time — and clean your tools with rubbing alcohol. If you’ve been exposed, you can lower the chances of a rash if you wash the affected skin with soap and water within 30 minutes. See your doctor if the rash forms around your eyes, mouth or genitals, or if it causes pain or swelling.

Sun Allergies

Have you ever noticed your skin flush or break out in tiny bumps or hives within minutes of being in the sun? Then you may have sun sensitivity, a condition that can either be inherited or provoked by certain medications, including antibiotics and ibuprofen.

If you’re sun-sensitive, you need to take special precautions outdoors. Apply sunscreen every two hours. Wear sunglasses, a hat and long shirts and pants, and try to stay inside during peak sunlight hours (between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.). See a doctor right away if you feel faint or feverish after being out in the sun.

Swimmer’s Itch

That clear blue water might not be as clean as you think. Tiny parasites that live in fresh water and sea lice that infest saltwater can land on your body and cause small reddish pimples or blisters.

To reduce your risk of exposure, don’t swim in areas where signs warn of water contamination, and avoid swimming or wading in marshy areas. (Chlorinated pools are OK — unless you’re allergic to chlorine.) Towel-dry after leaving the water, and shower as soon as possible. Rinse your bathing suits and swim gear (fins, snorkels, and the like) with household vinegar or rubbing alcohol, then wash the suits in hot water. If you think you might have an infection, call your doctor.

Stopping the Itch

That urge to scratch may be irresistible — but resist if you can, says Dr. Larry Millikan, a dermatologist in Meridian, Miss., and professor emeritus at Tulane University. “You can scratch to the point that you make a portal of entry for bacteria” that can cause serious secondary infections, he warns.

Millikan urges those who are itchy to rub the site instead of scratching. (Keep your kids’ nails short and super-clean, just in case they forget.) You can soothe the irritation with these time-tested remedies:

• Cold compresses, ice packs and cool baths with baking soda
• Calamine lotion
• Hydrocortisone creams and sprays
• Nonprescription antihistamine pills (as long as they’re age-appropriate)

By Lynn Langway
From Life & Beauty Weekly