Do your children spend all day with their eyes glued to mobile screens? It could be harming the development of their eyes and the visual processing areas of their brain!
This might sound alarmist, but there is a very real trend of increasing myopia – nearsightedness – around the world. Children, in particular, are being diagnosed as nearsighted much more often than they were 10-20 years ago. While the causes are still being investigated, overuse of screens is widely considered to be a contributing factor.
So encouraging responsible screen-time management really could help protect your children’s eye health in the future!
Too Much Screen Time Is Bad For Children
Besides contributing to myopia, there are actually a number of different problems that can be caused by excessive screen time. For example:
- Eye pain / fatigue. Looking at close objects for hours on end is hard work for the eyes. After all, they have muscles, and muscles hurt after any workout. This has led to more children getting fatigued eyes, as well as eye-strain headaches.
- Reduced sleep. Screen time before bed, especially within an hour of bedtime, makes it much more difficult to go to sleep. Insomnia is on the rise among children as well, and that’s likely due to screens.
- Difficulty focusing. For children whose eyes are still developing, it can be difficult to switch between near and far sight, if they stare at screens all day. This could cause problems in school, for example, when they need to read from the front board.
Good Screen Management Protects Children’s Eye Health
Monitor your children’s screen use, and encourage healthy habits. It’ll pay off over time!
In particular, teach them the 20/20/20 rule: For every 20 minutes of screen time, spend at least 20 seconds looking at something which is at least 20 feet away. This allows their near vision to rest, and helps prevent health problems.
Also, encourage them to be aware of their eyes’ dryness. If your child feels like their eyes are too dry, or are constantly rubbing their eyes, that’s a big sign it’s time to take a break from the screen.
In addition, you might consider getting them a larger device, like a laptop or tablet. The smaller the screen is, the harder it is to focus on. Larger screens are less harmful to developing eyes.
Plus, of course, regular checkups protect children’s eye health. By the time they’re 5-6, they should be getting annual eye exams. Contact Valley Eyecare Center in Phoenix to schedule an appointment!
