Online school could strain your child’s eyes, doctors say. Here’s how to avoid it
A group of eye care professionals is warning parents about potential eye strain for children as many return to online school this fall.
Just as adults, kids can experience the headaches, blurred vision and dry eyes associated with staring at laptops or tablets for long periods, such as a full school day. The American Academy of Ophthalmology created a “back-to-online school checklist” to help parents prepare for the challenges of distance learning.
“I was a digital eye strain naysayer prior to recent events,” Dr. Stephen Lipsky, a pediatric ophthalmologist and clinical spokesperson for the AAO, said in a news release. “But in my practice, I really have seen a marked increase in kids suffering from eye strain because of increased screen time. Good news is most symptoms can be avoided by taking a few simple steps.”
When looking at screens, people don’t blink as often while focusing on something at the same distance for a long time, doctors say. This can cause blurry vision as the muscles around the eye begin to wear out, causing headaches down the road. Driving, reading for many hours and sitting near a vent blowing hot or cold air in your face can also dry out your eyes, the checklist said.
On the bright side, eye strain “is more of a symptom than an actual condition,” and does not injure the eyes or cause permanent damage, Dr. Laurie Barber, a comprehensive ophthalmologist in Little Rock, Arkansas, said in an AAO article. But the uncomfort felt from eye strain is enough to make preventive measures an important part of screen time routines, doctors say.
Use these tips to avoid eye strain
- One of the best pieces of advice for kids participating in virtual school is the “20-20-20 rule,” the AAO says. “Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.” Some ways to encourage this is to set a timer, encourage breaks between chapters in reading books and premark books — both on paper and e-books — with paperclips to remind kids to relax their eyes.
- Distance and posture matters, too, doctors say. Kids should stay about arm’s length away from computers and tablets, with screens positioned at eye level. “If we have poor posture when we do tasks, it can cause neck, shoulder and back pain, which can add to the discomfort we feel and some people may attribute it to eye strain,” Barber said.
- Avoid using screens in dark rooms or brightly lit areas because their brightness and glare in these environments can strain the eyes, according to the ophthalmologists. They also recommend alternating between paper and e-books, placing light sources behind kids rather than behind screens and to discourage screen use 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
Glasses that shield against blue light can also save a headache or two, the doctors say, as well as ensuring kids have the proper prescription if they have one. This could prevent discomfort such as facial muscle fatigue from squinting for long periods, Barber said.
“All this increased time in front of phones, laptops, monitors and TVs is leading to increased exposure to harmful high-energy blue light waves,” Dr. Rob Weinstock, director of cataract and refractive surgery at the Eye Institute of West Florida, told Good Morning America.
“It’s well known that over exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin release by the brain which disrupts normal sleep patterns. Poor sleep in all age groups is known to be a factor in diseases such as diabetes, heart disease as well psychological conditions such as depression and attention deficit disorder,” Weinstock said.
Outdoor time is just as important, according to the doctors.
They say screen time and other activities that favor prolonged eye focus “may be driving a worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness in children, although this is not yet proven.” Past research shows that spending time outdoors in early childhood can slow its progression.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Online school could strain your child’s eyes, doctors say. Here’s how to avoid it."
