Televisions Do Not Ruin Eyesight

Sitting close to a television or monitor does not permanently damage the eyes, although prolonged viewing can cause temporary strain and fatigue. The warning persisted partly because some General Electric color televisions sold during the 1960s emitted radiation up to 100,000 times above the level federal health officials considered safe. General Electric recalled and repaired those sets, and televisions made after 1968 no longer had that emissions problem. Children who repeatedly sit close may already have undiagnosed nearsightedness, meaning the behavior can reveal poor vision rather than cause it.

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