When you grew up, you used a notebook and pencil in school and played outside once the final bell rang. Times have changed, though. Now, kids use computers at school and tablets for fun afterward. Computers and tablets give them access to countless amounts of information, but it comes at a price. These digital screens can actually hurt your child’s eyes. Fortunately, pediatric eye care experts have some tips you can use to protect your child’s eyes, even if he or she spends hours looking at digital screens each day.
Keep Ergonomics in Mind
If your child fails to use proper positioning when sitting at the computer, he or she could come down with childhood computer vision syndrome. This syndrome can lead to eye strain and pain. Limit the risks by ensuring that your child’s head is properly balanced and the computer is 15 degrees below his or her eye level. Ensure that your child isn’t slumping and his or her forearms are flat on the desk. These changes will help your child view the computer screen at a proper angle, which will reduce the likelihood of getting the syndrome.
Encourage Breaks
Pediatric eye care experts state that myopia is a serious problem that many kids face. They spend hours on end on the computer, and that creates a great deal of eye strain. The strain will eventually cause nearsightedness in children.
Prevent this from happening by having your child take a break every 20 minutes. He or she shouldn’t just walk around during the break. Instead, your kid needs to refocus on an object that isn’t the computer. This object should be a minimum of 20 feet away. He or she needs to look at it for a minimum of 10 seconds. Then, your child will be ready to concentrate on the computer once again.
Consider placing a timer by the digital device to keep your child on track. Every time it goes off, your kid will need to take a break.
Block the Blue Light
Pediatric eye care experts are also concerned by the amount of blue light that computers and other digital devices emit. This blue light contains the same HEV rays that are found in sunlight. Some exposure is fine, but when kids are exposed to blue light from computers and sunlight, problems can ensue. Your child can avoid these problems by wearing eyeglasses with lenses that block these rays. Your child can put these glasses on as needed or wear them all the time. The glasses are only slightly tinted so they look like normal glasses.
Your child’s eyesight should be a priority. If you are afraid that computers and other digital devices might be hurting it, schedule an appointment at our clinic today. We are conveniently located in the Bangor area, making it easy for patients to get pediatric eye exams. Once the exam is done, you will know if you need to come up with a plan to protect your child’s eyes. If you do, we can help you formulate the plan and put it in motion.
