{"id":10265,"date":"2021-03-16T06:30:52","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T06:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=10265"},"modified":"2021-07-26T07:14:08","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T07:14:08","slug":"could-your-child-have-digital-eye-strain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/checklist-for-parents-2\/could-your-child-have-digital-eye-strain\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Your Child Have Digital Eye Strain?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Since 2010, there has been a 70% increase of smartphone usage and 40% increase in laptop usage worldwide.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Eye doctors are reporting a major increase in the number of children being diagnosed with <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-children\/near-point-visual-stress-npvs\/\"><b>digital eye strain<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>With smartphone usage and remote learning becoming more prevalent among children, it\u2019s not surprising that children are experiencing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/8-tips-to-protect-your-childs-vision\/protecting-your-child-from-digital-eye-strain\/\">digital eye strain<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While digital technology offers many benefits in the spheres of education, communication, and entertainment, overexposure and prolonged use of these devices can also have<a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-children\/near-point-visual-stress-npvs\/\"> detrimental effects<\/a> on your child\u2019s eyes and vision.<\/p>\n<p>Digital eye strain can cause many physical symptoms, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Blurred vision<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Burning or stinging in the eyes<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Difficulty focusing<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Dry eyes<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Fatigue<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Headaches<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Irritated eyes<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Itchy eyes<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Neck and shoulder pain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your child suffers from any of the symptoms listed above they may have digital eye strain.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Protect your child from digital eye strain<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>There are many ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/8-tips-to-protect-your-childs-vision\/protecting-your-child-from-digital-eye-strain\/\">protect your child<\/a> from digital eye strain so that they can preserve their vision and eye health.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Teach the 20-20-20 rule<\/h3>\n<p>Digital eye strain can be caused by <i>focusing fatigue, <\/i>or staring at a digital device for too long.<\/p>\n<p>While your child is watching TV or using a digital device, at least every 20 minutes remind them to look at something in the distance (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds.<\/p>\n<p><b>This rule helps to relax the eye muscles and prevent eye strain.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>2. Blink frequently<\/h3>\n<p>Researchers have found that people blink less frequently when staring at a\u00a0 screen. Reduced blink rate can lead to sore, dry eyes, as well as eye fatigue.<\/p>\n<p><em>Remind your children to blink often while sitting in front of a screen, so they can keep their eyes healthy and moist.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you suspect your child has eyestrain from their computer, <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1626857174721000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHEnmVBfLowDlzkgOY5tIIOtNoU9A\">contact an eye doctor<\/a>\u00a0near you, who can diagnose and treat the condition.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/checklist-for-parents-2\/near-point-visual-stress-npvs\/\">Near Point Visual Stress (NPVS)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find a Vision Therapy Eye Doctor Near You<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h3>3. Keep a distance<\/h3>\n<p>Children tend to sit with their face up against a screen. This habit can not only cause digital eye strain, but is harmful for their eyes.<\/p>\n<p><b>Teach your child the importance of keeping a distance from the device. Ideally the screen should be at least 18-24 inches away from their eyes.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>4. Upright posture<\/h3>\n<p>With online learning becoming more and more popular, children are being required to sit in front of a digital screen for many hours during the day.<\/p>\n<p><b>Without proper posture, a day of remote learning can lead to shoulder, back and neck pain\u2014 common symptoms of digital eye strain.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>To prevent this, your child\u2019s desk and chair should be at a comfortable height so their feet can rest on the floor. If their feet don\u2019t reach the floor, a stool under the desk is a perfect solution.<\/p>\n<p>It is also important to ensure that their computer screen is positioned just below eye level so that they don\u2019t strain their neck while staring at the screen.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Visit an eye doctor<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>If you find that your child is complaining of blurred vision, sore eyes, headaches, or any other symptoms following prolonged screen time, it is a good idea to schedule an eye exam with an optometrist experienced in children\u2019s vision and vision therapy.<\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-children\/near-point-visual-stress-npvs\/\">digital eye strain <\/a>is often a temporary condition that can be alleviated by making some lifestyle and behavioral changes, your eye doctor may discover that a functional vision problem is the underlying cause of your child\u2019s symptoms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">Find and Eye Doctor<\/a> directory may provide a list of eye doctors near you that can diagnose a child with digital eye strain.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A customized program of vision therapy can help to improve their vision and enhance their screen time experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/\">Vision Therapy for Children<\/a><\/p>\n<p><i>With technology and screens part of our daily lives, it is essential that we take the time to teach our children how to protect their eyes and vision from the effects of digital exposure.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since 2010, there has been a 70% increase of smartphone usage and 40% increase in laptop usage worldwide.\u00a0 Eye doctors are reporting a major increase<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10266,"parent":1028,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[87,108,95,401,107,400,86,151,217,153,149],"class_list":["post-10265","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-adhd","tag-attention","tag-childrens-vision","tag-computer-vision-syndrome","tag-concentration","tag-digital-eye-strain","tag-education","tag-eyestrain","tag-hyperopia","tag-school","tag-vision-skills"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Could Your Child Have Digital Eye Strain? 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