By Robert Fucigna, MD
How are your bright stars looking these days? Kids need help with the computer vision too.
All this talk about working from home and eye strain, sometimes we forget that our little ones are using computer screens a lot more than we wanted and expected. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests from a neurological perspective that our young ones should spend no more than a moderate amount of time interacting with a computer daily. We simply don’t know ! Most of the studies are TV watching! Over the last decade, we mostly thought about gaming and it’s effects on our students, but now even our kindergarten kids are encouraged to look at a laptop or desktop or iPad for at least three hours a day while schooling from home. What’s a mom to do?
On the Web:
Unglue is a website that gives kids power to learn healthier habits, with a scheduler and rewards. Circle is another app that has a control module.
An at home Family Media Use Plan that addresses the need to play, study,talk and sleep should be discussed with the kids. Our little guys’ nervous system certainly is still developing, and it’s recommended that when students spend 30 mins on the monitor they take a 5-10 minute screen break. It’s also recommended that they get up and move those bodies around to help them concentrate and learn effectively. Of course, the big kids might be engaged in their monitors for 6 hours a day! Increasing eye strain, boredom and weary eyes. As we watch our children study from home, we might notice that they are affected by the screen.
It seems you can’t get on your own device these days without being inundated with advertising regarding blue blockers or some type of eye glass to reduce your strain. We often get asked about the benefits of blue blockers and there remains a big debate. It seems that blue light and violet light are on the scale closest to ultraviolet light which is well documented to cause problems with human DNA and light sensitive tumors but that does not mean that blue light is harmful. It seems to me that blue light prevention is a popular topic, but the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggest you skip the glasses!!! The blue light emitted from a computer or smartphone is far less than the sun, and we are likely suffering from Digital Eye Strain. A few more simple fixes include adjusting the screen brightness to match the level in your surroundings and trying a “matte screen filter” to cut Glare, usually available at cell phone or computer stores.
As previously noted , artificial tears at the computer helps because we blink less frequently while on these screens. Take breaks , develop a plan, avoid blue blockers for the computer. And if you are getting headaches, see your favorite eye doctor.
Sent from my eye phone! Dr. Fucigna can be reached at (203) 348-7575.
