SEEING CLEARLY

Eyes on the Prize

By Arricca Elin SanSone

It’s no secret your kids are spending more time than ever staring at computers and other digital devices these days. So it’s natural to worry about what all that screen time is doing to their vision. “It’s difficult to set screen time limits with virtual learning and kids connecting with friends and family online,” says Brenda PaganDuran, MD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and in private practice at Westwood Ophthalmology Associates. “But there are other ways to help prevent digital eye strain and protect your child’s vision.” All that screen time can take a toll. Here’s how to keep kids’ (and your own!) eyes healthy:

Teach kids to take breaks. “The average person blinks fifteen times a minute,” says Pagan-Duran. “But when we’re staring for an extended period of time, that goes down to half or a third of that number, which can lead to dryness and discomfort.” Common signs of eye strain include blurry vision, headaches, burning eyes or tearing. Reading or writing for hours at a time may also cause

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symptoms. To prevent eye strain, encourage kids to practice the 20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes, have kids look away from the screen into the distance for 20 seconds. This reminds kids to blink and relaxes the lens inside the eye, which helps improve moisture. Set a timer on digital devices, place a paperclip every few chapters in books or set up bookmarks for e-books so kids will remember to take breaks. It’s also okay for kids to use lubricating eye drops that do not contain preservatives to relieve dryness.

Set up a healthy work space. If kids are using devices outside or in a brightly-lit area, have them adjust the monitor to reduce screen glare. Take the brightness or contrast down a notch until it feels more comfortable, says Pagan-Duran. Make sure laptops or other digital devices are about 18 to 24 inches away, which is about an arm’s length. But don’t bother buying blue light-blocking glasses or filters, which are marketed to reduce eye strain. There’s no evidence they do anything to prevent fatigue. However, blue light can affect our wake/sleep cycles and make it harder to fall asleep. Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends shutting down screens at least one hour before bedtime (and not letting kids sleep with devices in their rooms!). Get kids outdoors. The number of people with nearsightedness, or myopia, is rising — perhaps at least in part due to increased screen time. But some studies have shown that spending time outdoors decreases kids’ risk of myopia and may slow its progression, says Pagan-Dugan. Encourage kids to play outside or take a walk or a fresh air break at lunchtime.

Practice healthy eye behaviors. Make sure kids receive regular vision and eye health screenings, and call your pediatrician if your child is complaining about vision issues such as blurriness. He or she may refer your child to an ophthalmologist to evaluate the source of the problems. For example, your child’s watery eyes may be caused by eye strain, or they may be due to seasonal allergies. If your kids play contact sports, especially basketball, soccer, racquet sports or field hockey, make sure they wear the appropriate protective eyewear with shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, says Pagan-Duran. Kids should also wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV rays to reduce the risk of conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration in the future.

—Arricca Elin SanSone is a New York-based health and lifestyle writer.