Elderly Woman Develops Severe 2,300-Degree Myopia After Using Phone Over 12 Hours Daily

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A woman in her 70s from Heze in Shandong, China has reportedly developed severe myopia of over 2,300 degrees after years of excessive smartphone use

According to Shaanxi TV News, the elderly woman sought medical attention after experiencing severe blurry vision.

During an eye examination, doctors discovered that her shortsightedness had progressed to an alarming level.

Her granddaughter reportedly revealed that both her grandparents spend nearly every waking hour on their smartphones — starting from the moment they wake up until late at night

The grandmother is also said to have a habit of using her phone while lying on her side in the dark.

Doctors found that she already had cataracts in both eyes but had never sought treatment. Combined with her long-term heavy phone usage, her vision gradually worsened over time.

Typically, older adults are more prone to developing presbyopia — a condition that makes it harder to focus on nearby objects. However, in this case, the woman developed severe myopia instead.

Doctors explained that ageing can weaken the ciliary muscles in the eyes, reducing their ability to handle prolonged close-up visual tasks

Using smartphones for long periods, especially while lying on one's side, may further accelerate the progression of myopia.

Medical experts reminded the public that eye function naturally declines with age, making proper eye care increasingly important.

They recommend regular eye examinations and practising healthy screen habits such as the "20-20-20 rule", taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away, to reduce digital eye strain.

In eye prescriptions, "2,300 degrees" usually refers to extremely high myopia, typically expressed as -23.00 diopters

Severe myopia significantly increases the risk of irreversible, sight-threatening conditions, including retinal detachment, myopic retinal degeneration, and glaucoma.

Doctors also advised that older adults who experience symptoms such as persistent blurry vision, double vision, headaches, eye strain, or other visual field defects to promptly seek medical attention.

The case has since sparked widespread discussion on Weibo about older adults' smartphone habits, with some netizens suggesting that seniors may also need screen time limits to reduce excessive phone use.