Too Much Time on Screens Could Be Causing Eye Damage
Focusing on a digital screen is much harder on your children’s eyes than looking at a piece of paper. Why, you may ask? When they look at a video screen with several moving parts, their eyes must move in multiple directions to keep up. This puts pressure on their eyes and can lead to lasting effects on their vision.
How could too much time on screens be causing eye damage?
Too much time on screens could be causing eye damage as a result of the exposure to blue light. Digital devices emit blue light, and according to the American Optometric Association, children are more likely than adults to experience retinal damage when exposed to this high-energy light. This can put your child at a higher risk for early age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to loss of eyesight.
With enough screen time, your child may also be one of the 83 percent of children who develop symptoms of computer vision syndrome. This condition is caused by squinting at a digital screen over an extended period and can lead to blurry vision, eye strain, and itchy eyes. Often, these symptoms are temporary, but they can cause various issues if left untreated.
If your child has these symptoms, and it’s been over a year since their last visit to the eye doctor, schedule them an eye exam. During the exam, the optometrist may test for astigmatism, farsightedness, and eye coordination issues. This will allow them to select the best prescription glasses for your child, which can help prevent ongoing symptoms and reduce eye damage over time.
How does screen time affect your kids’ eyesight?
Adults are not the only ones who are affected by too much screen time. Screen time and your children’s vision are also connected, as children can develop digital eye strain when they play video games or focus too long on an electronic device.
While staring at the screen, children may forget to blink, resulting in eye irritation. If they don’t take frequent breaks, they can have the same eye problems as adults and develop issues with their vision.
What can you do to help your children? Set them up with blue-light glasses for kids, and encourage them to look away from the screen regularly.
Summary: Too much time on screens could be causing eye damage.
How does screen time affect children’s vision? Children get so involved in video games that they avoid breaks. This can make a child blink less often, which can cause dry eyes and other symptoms of digital eye strain.
Children need to take regular breaks when exposed to large amounts of blue light. Too much screen time could be causing retinal eye damage over time and other issues, such as preventing the eyes from focusing when they’re away from the screen.
Want to limit the impact of too much screen time on your children’s eyesight? Start with setting healthy boundaries for their game time. It may not solve the problem, but it will help.
Shop at For Eyes for your next pair of glasses
Show off your unique style and browse our wide variety of frames from your favorite brands for men, women and kids. Stop by your local For Eyes or order online at your convenience.
-
Hyperopia vs. Presbyopia: What Is the Difference?
At some period in your life, you may get a refractive error. You might even end up having hyperopia and presbyopia at the same time. The symptoms of these two eye issues are similar, often involving problems with near vision.
So, what is the differe -
Is There a Treatment for Presbyopia?
If you experience any presbyopia symptoms, such as near vision difficulties, we recommend contacting a nearby eye doctor right away for an appointment. In general, our optometrists recommend contacts, multifocal glasses, or reading glasses to get you -
Will My Child Outgrow Farsightedness?
-
What Causes Astigmatism to Worsen?
For the most part, astigmatism stays the same or changes gradually from one eye appointment to the next. But like other eye issues, your vision can change with time--and sometimes for no obvious reason.
What causes astigmatism to worsen? It de
