Sitting close to the TV damages eyes
There is no scientific evidence that sitting close to a television causes permanent eye damage in children or adults. The belief originated from a manufacturing defect in certain 1960s televisions that emitted excess radiation; modern televisions do not have this issue.
What we know
The warning that sitting close to a TV damages eyes originated in the 1960s when General Electric recalled certain color televisions that emitted X-ray radiation at levels above what was then considered safe. This specific historical concern was addressed and modern televisions do not emit harmful radiation.
Ophthalmologists and optometrists today consistently state that sitting close to a television or computer screen may cause temporary eye strain (symptoms such as headache, blurred vision, and dry eyes) but does not cause any lasting damage to vision or the eyes. Eye strain from screen use is fully reversible with rest.
If a child consistently chooses to sit very close to the TV, this may be a sign of nearsightedness (myopia) that should be evaluated by an eye doctor, but the proximity to the screen is not itself the cause of that condition. UT Health San Antonio and other ophthalmology programs confirm that this is a myth.
Research on near-work activities such as reading and screen use does suggest that prolonged time spent focusing on close objects may be one factor among several contributing to the development of myopia in children, but this applies to all near-work, not specifically to television, and the mechanism differs from the popular claim that TV proximity burns or harms the eyes.
Common claims
- Sitting close to the TV will ruin your eyesightNot supported by evidence
- Modern TVs emit harmful radiation that damages eyesFalse for modern televisions
- Eye strain from TV is permanentEye strain is temporary and reversible
- Children sitting close to TV are damaging their eyesMay signal pre-existing myopia instead