We conducted an interview with Dr. Kim Sung-joon from Seoul National University Hospital’s ophthalmology department to discuss how the use of curved monitors can help viewers improve eye health.

Q. How have modern technology habits impacted eye health?

A: In the past, people used to read newspapers and books or watch TV while sitting on a sofa at a distance. However, they currently spend more time sitting in front of personal computers. They work for long periods with their eyes kept at a short distance from the screen. Such prolonged PC use and limited recovery time exposes people to factors that cause eye fatigue.

Q. In what way does maintaining a short eye-to-screen distance negatively affect users’ eye health?

A: When working on a computer, human eye muscles contract and tense to focus on objects in close distances. This may cause pseudomyopia, which is a temporary manifestation of myopia among people with healthy eyes. Although pseudomyopia does not necessarily become a chronic myopia, it is an unnatural activity for the eyes and therefore adds more fatigue. People who view PC monitors for a long time may develop VDT (Visual Display Terminal) Syndrome, which can cause headaches, eye pain, glare and dry eyes. We’ve seen an increase in patients suffering from VDT Syndrome during the last few years.

Q. How can curved monitors reduce visual fatigue?

A: My personal experience with curved monitors has been positive, and I encourage my patients to consider such technology as well. It was less straining on my eyes to look at the curved monitor compared with a flat-screen alternative, and I felt less long-term fatigue after extended use. There also is a psychological comfort in knowing that my eyes are softly surrounded. Generally, higher definition monitors often lead to more eye fatigue. However, curved monitors not only have better definition, but also have an optimal curvature so the eyes remain comfortable.

Most modern curved monitors come with features that help preserve eye health and enable uninterrupted long-term use. For instance, Samsung’s curved monitor contains an ‘Eye Saver Mode’ that limits exposure to blue light and visual inconsistencies that can increase eye fatigue. Blue light is one of the many wavelengths among visible light generated from monitors and affects the nerve circuits that control eye pain. Therefore, controlling blue light will reduce eye glare and the potential pain that occurs after using monitors for a long period. The impact of display screens on the eyes can also affect the system that controls the circadian rhythm, or the body’s biorhythm that enables natural sleep cycles and time flows. My patients were also satisfied when I showed them their test results on the curved screen.

Q. How do curved monitors alter users’ image perceptions?

A: Our eyes adjust the thickness of the crystalline lens to maintain focus when the distance to viewed objects changes. The curved monitor offers similar eye-to-object distance at all angles, ensuring the eyes do not have to work as hard to readjust the crystalline lens to focus. Consequently, eye fatigue is minimized. This effect is especially beneficial to elderly users whose lens adjustment function has degenerated.

When looking at an object, our eyes attempt to vividly capture the environment around the object as well. In layman’s terms, there are parts that we “consciously see” and parts that are “seen.” When an object has a curved shape, the image is more easily captured on the retina. Peripheral areas can be seen clearly. This is the Horopter Theory, which is the same principle applied to popular curved screens in big movie theaters.

According to this theory, our eyes perceive objects arranged along the Horopter line as collinear and conversely, the eyes experience depth perceptive of objects arranged along a horizontal line. The curved monitor’s surface helps viewers perceive the middle and side edges of the screen along a single horizontal line, making the experience much easier on their eyes. Generally, when using three monitors at the same time, people arrange them in a curved configuration. This is due to natural instinct to bring out optimal images through the retina. Curvature also delivers psychological comfort by creating a sense of ‘hugging’ the eye, which enhances stability and concentration.

* This article, written by reporter Jung Sim-Gyo, appeared in Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo newspaper on June 9, 2015.

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Do you need more exercise?

• Do you gain weight, despite no change in diet?
• Do you become easily winded?
• Do you exercise with no visible physical change?

Could you benefit from a better diet?

• Do you have hair or skin issues?
• Do you feel sad, or experience mood changes?
• Do you experience problems with digestion?

Are you getting enough sleep?

• Do you have dark circles under your eyes or have low energy?
• Do you feel sleepy during lectures or meetings, in the afternoon, or throughout the day?
• Do you have to set more than one alarm clock to wake up in the morning?

Your answers to these self-test questions may not be the most accurate indicators of your health, but it could be a good start to check where you stand. You should always consult a physician for any serious concerns. Whether you need to Be more active, Eat healthier, or Feel more rested, the all-new S Health app on the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge can help you track and manage your day.

Create Your Profile and Set Your Goal

First, open the S Health app to create a personalized profile. You can enter basic information like name, gender and birthday, and what level of activity you hope to maintain.

After creating your profile, you can set your specific goal in the app’s dashboard: Be more active, Eat healthier, or Feel more rested. Intuitive charts and helpful suggestions targeted to your chosen goal will help you achieve your health and fitness goals. For all three goals, you will be able to see your progress during the past few days, weeks, or months. You can set rewards for reaching your goal, which S Health helps you reach with tips for success.

Stay Fit

Want to stay fit? There’s no need to worry about hiring a personal trainer. The S Health app makes it possible to keep a detailed record of all your daily activities. By fully utilizing the features offered in S Health, you can be your own fitness coach. Set your goal to “Be more active” to access charts showing minutes spent exercising, calories you burned, number of steps taken, and other measures combined to track your daily activities against your goals. If you set your goal to “Eat healthier,” you can use the Food tracker to record your caloric intake, and S Health will calculate a score from 1-100 to let you know how nutritionally-balanced your day has been. Those who wish to ”Feel more rested” can take advantage of the Sleep tracker to improve sleep efficiency. Together with the charts provided for your selected goal, these optional trackers will empower you to achieve success.

Track It

S Health has many trackers that allow you to monitor daily nutrition, physical activity, and sleep. Basic trackers include Steps, Food, and Sleep, while more activity trackers record, walking, running, cycling, hiking, and other sports activities. The app also provides lifestyle trackers, such as Water and Caffeine trackers.

Users can utilize these trackers individually, all for different measures and purposes, without choosing a goal from the three options listed above. For example, you can use the Water tracker to record the cups of water you drink per day, which would help you stay hydrated. Or you can use the app as your food diary, taking photos of your meals and recording calories on the Food tracker without necessarily setting your goal to “Eat healthier.” Advanced features are available for some trackers; when using the running tracker, you can maintain your pace more easily by using the voice guide. Other convenient health trackers include Heart Rate and Stress trackers, enabled by the built-in sensors on your smartphone. These health trackers are also designed to be easily accompanied by wearables and other devices such as weight scales.

Improve It

Once you have reached your goal, you might want to go beyond your limits. With programs like “Baby Steps to 5K,”you can prepare yourself gradually. S Health acts as your workout companion, keeping you on pace from day one of the warm up phase.

Track, Monitor, Improve

With S Health’s improved trackers and features, anyone can find small ways to improve their lifestyle. Exercise, diet and sleep are three of the most influential factors impacting health, and using the S Health app allows all of us to take control. By keeping us informed, helping us set and achieve goals, and rewarding accomplishments, the S Health app is sure to improve our lives.

This new version of the S Health app is available for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note4 that have been updated to the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system.

*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.