Imagine scrolling through your favorite app when a pop-up ad or a GIF suddenly appears on screen with flashing images. For many people this would be annoying. But for people with photosensitive epilepsy it could trigger their seizures - and there have been media reports of this happening.
If you have epilepsy and are unsure about using a smartphone, speak to your doctor for personalized advice. In this article, we’ll look at some of the issues around using a smartphone with epilepsy.
Is it safe to use a smartphone with epilepsy?
At present, there isn’t enough data to definitively say whether or not smartphone usage is safe for all people with epilepsy. More research is needed before it’s possible to be sure. So talk to your doctor.
In one review of research into this topic, seven studies suggested that electromagnetic fields created by these devices could potentially affect brain activity. But seven other studies disagreed with this conclusion. Meanwhile, other studies have found that health apps on smartphones may improve seizure management.
Talk with your physician for their advice about your situation.
Are there risks of using a smartphone with epilepsy?
There are some ways that smartphones could potentially provoke seizures in people with epilepsy. Speak with your doctor about some of the following kinds of issues:
- Photosensitive epilepsy: People with photosensitive epilepsy could have their seizures triggered by their smartphones. In 2019, there were news reports that online trolls were targeting people with epilepsy on Twitter (now X) using strobing GIFs. More generally, there is the issue of content consumption on apps. Whether it is watching videos that contain photosensitive content, flashing pop-up ads, videos on apps like TikTok and Instagram or GIFs that your friends send you, there are a number of ways that mobile phones could trigger photosensitive seizures. There hasn’t been a huge amount of research into this issue, but one small study found that GIFs are a cause for concern among some people with photosensitive epilepsy.
- Noise sensitive epilepsy: Some people’s seizures are triggered by certain kinds of unexpected noises (known as ‘startle-induced seizures’). There have been a small number of case reports of telephones triggering seizures.
- Electromagnetic waves: Scientists have hypothesized that mobile phone use could also change electromagnetic activity in the brains of people with epilepsy, and possibly cause seizures. Some studies have found a possible link here.
- Sleep disturbance: A lack of sleep is one of the leading triggers of epileptic seizures. The way you use your phone could disturb your sleep, and make seizures more likely. The blue light that emits from mobile screens can make it hard to sleep if you look at it late at night (blue light ‘tells’ your body to wake up). Also, if you have notifications (pings or vibrations) turned on at night, they could disrupt your sleep.
Suggested: 10 considerations for living with epilepsy
Can too much screen time cause seizures?
Nowadays, people spend more time than ever looking at screens. But can too much screen time cause seizures? There is some evidence to suggest there may be a link.
A study in Italy during COVID-19 lockdowns noted that there had been an increase in people with epilepsy visiting the emergency room. The researchers thought that one possible reason for this rise was that people were spending more time looking at their screens during lockdowns.
Another issue could be that too much screen time affects sleep. Findings from a study in Taiwan showed that children with epilepsy who spent more time looking at screens were more likely to have poor quality sleep - and sleeping badly may trigger seizures.
Related: Video games and seizure safety
Checking with your doctor
There is evidence that smartphones may pose certain risks to people with epilepsy. Talk to your doctor for more information about ways to use your device safely.
