Can Sitting Too Close to the TV Be Bad for Your Eyes?
Good news: sitting close to the TV won't damage your eyes or make you go blind, despite what your parents might have told you.
The main issue with sitting too close is eye strain. When you're very near the screen, your eye muscles work harder to focus, which can lead to tired, dry eyes and temporary discomfort—but this goes away once you take a break. Kids often sit closer because they're naturally more comfortable focusing up close, so it's usually less of a problem for them than adults.
The bigger concern with screens in general is the blue light exposure before bed (which can disrupt sleep) and simply spending too much time staring at any screen without breaks, which contributes to that tired, strained feeling.
Bottom line: Sit wherever feels comfortable, but if your eyes feel tired, just move back a bit or take regular breaks. The "20-20-20 rule" helps: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.