“It’s common to find your child glued to the mobile device at bedtime; playing games, texting or super active on social media platforms.”
Nowadays, children are obsessed to their mobile phones be it at the dinner table, while studying, before sleeping and even when they’re supposed to be playing outside. And while we’re ignorant, all this excess screen time only brings more harm to the vision.
But then, children mostly learn from their parents and no doubt, adults also cling to their digital devices most of the time. So what exactly is this screen time and how much of it is bad for your child’s vision? Let’s have a look. 27616
Screen time
Total amount of time an individual spend glaring at the digital devices including computers, tablets and smartphones refers to ‘screen time’. A general survey in the USA revealed that children are engaged in more than two-hours of screen time per day and as they grow, so does the exposure and total time spent. Statistical results of the survey are approximately:
- 42-minutes per day for children under two-years of age
- 150-minutes per day for children between the age of two-and-four years
- Almost 3-hours per day for children between the age of five-to-eight years
How it can be a problem?
Parents also reported that children experience one of each following symptoms when overly exposed to digital devices:
- Headaches
- Strain, dryness and irritation in the eye(s)
- Neck and shoulder strain
- Lost mind OR reduced attention span
- Mood swings: Mostly poor and irritated behaviour
In the recent years, cases of myopia or near-sightedness have increased tremendously due to digital overexposure. Take for instance Singapore where 65-percent primary grade students are myopic.
The ‘blue light’ is bad & here’s why
LED screens of portable digital devices as well as computers release a broad spectrum of visible light which is mostly harmless. But, fraction of it has a higher intensity which is significantly harmful and referred to as ‘blue light’. Laboratory experiments further concluded that certain blue light bands harm the retina overtime. Excess exposure however can have certain psychological health anomalies to a normal individual including sleep disorder.
Immediate risks
Repeated exposure to the blue light lead to immediate risks of which ‘Circadian Rhythm Disruption’ is most common which refers to difficulty and disruption in sleeping. It results in poor performance, drowsiness and irritated behaviour among the school-going children.
That said, sleep disorder, if remained untreated for a longer period further raise the risk of obesity and likewise health issues among the children. A detailed two-year long study of about 2,500 normal high-school students who were overexposed to digital devices are 10% more likely to develop ADHD.
Cut down on screen time
Use of eyeglasses, sunglasses and lenses that deflect or reduce harmful effects of blue light is essential for protection as suggested by professional eye consultants in Dubai and around the world. Parents should limit their children in using digital devices for too long whereas individuals who’re already experiencing the downsides should have their vision checked immediately for possible vitrectomy surgery or other preventive measures before vision deteriorates for good.