{"id":3663,"date":"2022-12-01T04:14:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T17:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?p=3663"},"modified":"2023-09-07T23:38:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T13:38:13","slug":"impact-of-screen-time-on-childrens-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/impact-of-screen-time-on-childrens-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Dilemma: The Impact of Screen Time on Children’s Eye Health and Vision."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Dr Nicholas Altuneg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You go in to say goodnight to your child only to find out he is playing \u201cMinecraft\u201d in bed. Or your daughter is busy on Snapchat when she is supposed to be studying. With many of us addicted to our devices it\u2019s no surprise that our children are too. But what impact is this having on their developing eyes, and even more importantly, their long term vision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australians spend 5.5 hours on digital devices everyday (this equates to 17 years over our lifetime). It is a scary thought when it\u2019s calculated all together isn\u2019t it? And that\u2019s not even including screen time at work, school or watching television at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spending too many hours staring at a screen can cause eye strain. The blue light emitted means you tend to blink less. Plus, the movement of the screen makes your eyes work harder to focus. We do not always position the screen at the right distance or angle, which can cause added strain. All these issues add up and can lead to lasting effects on your vision, especially in children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some common complaints when using screens for long periods include dry eyes, blurry vision, and headaches to name a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry eye is often reported by children and adults due to the constant use of a device. Dry eye is an annoying condition, and it is uncomfortable. It causes distraction, difficulty with concentration and it limits the amount of time that you can focus on the screen for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is often caused by brightness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The brightness of the screen can make you squint. Squinting helps eyesight by improving depth of focus, thereby compensating for blurry vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Squinting also reduces the level of light entering the eyes, which may provide comfort in light sensitive individuals. However, squinting has also been shown to reduce blink rates, causing dry eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our blink rate reduces by 2\u20134 times when focussing on screens. Blinking rewets the eyes, so when you blink less, the tear film is not replenished as often and can evaporate more quickly. When the tear film is reduced, the natural reaction is to rub the eyes which can increase redness and irritation around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the most common problem when it comes to sustained screen use is blurry and\/or double vision. Words could appear to move on the screen, the eyes could tire quickly, or you may experience headaches after a short period of use. Again, this usually results in difficulty concentrating and as well as discomfort, frustration and poorer quality work output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prolonged screen use has also been shown to reduce your child\u2019s ability to learn. Optimal vision and visual information processing skills ensures that children have the best opportunity to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I often get asked, \u201cCan our eyes get worse by using digital devices?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simple answer is yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longer the blur is observed the more likely that long term changes in the eye can occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children can develop myopia, astigmatism and anisometropia which can permanently affect their vision. When these conditions develop, they often result in glasses or contact lenses needing to be worn moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rates of Myopia (near\u2013sightedness) have increased at epidemic rates around the world. The rates have doubled in Australia since the 1970\u2019s to 36% currently. The rates are forecast to increase to 55% by 2050. Uncontrolled Myopia from younger ages usually result in much higher degrees of Myopia long term as well a higher rate of vision loss from complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The earlier treatment is started, the better the long term result. Vision is a learned skill and by teaching our children how to control their eyes better, we can often prevent or slow the progress of these conditions. With early intervention it may be possible to provide and maintain normal vision in later years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposure to natural daylight by playing outdoors improves eye development. Staying indoors due to excessive screen time can encourage the development of Myopia. Researchers have recommended one to three extra hours per day spent playing outside to reduce this risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to limit screen time before bed. Research has shown that blue light coming from screens can alter the body\u2019s circadian rhythms. This tricks the body into thinking it is still daytime, which can affect melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susceptible children often find it hard to get to sleep and\/or have poorer quality sleep after prolonged screen time before bed. Having the right spectacle correction with the right lens coatings can eliminate blue light before it enters your eye, restoring Melatonin levels and preserving your sleep cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few simple steps that anyone can take to minimise the impact of excessive screen time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is recommended that children take a 15\u2013minute break after an hour on the screen and change their focus to a distant target for 20 seconds every 20 minutes to reduce visual stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children should ensure that they are working in good room lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An appropriate working distance of 50\u201370cm should be maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every effort should be made to minimise reflections off the screen. This can be accomplished with an appropriately positioned screen, screen overlays or specific coatings on prescription glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the correct posture while working on a screen reduces stress on the back, neck, and eyes. This involves sitting with a straight back and shoulders, with the upper legs perpendicular to the back and lower legs. Feet should be flat on the floor and arms bent at the elbows with the lower arms laying level at desk height. The screen should ideally be at or below eye level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any symptoms of blurry vision, headaches or red eyes could be a sign of too much screen time or something more serious. If you aren\u2019t sure, then you should consult your optometrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclaimer: This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general eye health topics. It should not be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health care professional prior to incorporating this as part of your health regimen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Nicholas Altuneg<\/strong> is an Optometrist who has been working on the Central Coast for almost 30 years. He is the co\u2013founder at Eyes by Design, which is located in the Kincumber Centre at Kincumber. Call (02) 4369 8169 or visit www.eyesbydesign.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr Nicholas Altuneg You go in to say goodnight to your child only to find out he is playing \u201cMinecraft\u201d in bed. Or your daughter is busy on Snapchat…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sync_status":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35,40],"tags":[116,133],"series":[170],"class_list":["post-3663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellbeing","category-parenting","tag-article","tag-dr-nicholas-altuneg","series-on-the-coast-families"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/10\/is-too-much-screen-time-good-for-your-child.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/feed\/podcast\/on-the-coast-families","embedCode":"

Digital Dilemma: The Impact of Screen Time on Children’s Eye Health and Vision.<\/a><\/blockquote>