Distance Learning and the Invisible Risks to Kids Eye Health

With more and more school districts closing in person learning for the rest of the school year, kids are being forced to distance learn on digital devices. While technology is allowing our kids to continue to learn, staring at a digital device for hours upon hours a day is not healthy for kids eyes.

 

While there is conflicting opinions from medical professionals about the damage blue light can do to the eye, we do know eye strain is an issue with staring at screens for too long. This can cause temporary headaches, dry eye, blurry vision and even neck strain. But there is also new evidence that should be very concerning for parents.

 

Research that shows that myopia (near nearsightedness) is on the rise and linked to digital devices. When kids spend too much time looking at closer objects like a tablet or phone, it sends signals to the brain that is "distance" vision and grows accordingly. Researchers believe this is what is causing the steep rise in myopia since 2007.

 

With distance learning, we are just exacerbating this problem. In a normal classroom setting, kids are looking at the teacher in the front of the classroom. This sends signals to the brain that distance vision is what is the "normal" vision and what the eye should grow to see properly. But when we change learning to be a tablet, we start to change the "normal" distance to near vision instead, thus creating a myopia problem.

 

 

Is myopia that bad?

 

First, it does mean that they child will need to wear glasses much earlier than they may have needed to. It could also mean that the child may need glasses when they may not have needed them under different circumstances. Before 2007, most myopia was hereditary. But now we are seeing kids that are myopic without the hereditary gene for it. This is what made researchers start to look at digital devices.

 

But is wearing glasses all that bad?

 

Myopia also puts the eyes at risk for other serious conditions that could eventually end up in permanent blindness. A nearsighted person has a 50% increased risk of spending the rest of their life blind. Is that enough to take this problem seriously? I think so.

 

 

So what can parents do when schools are mandating digital device learning?

 

Take breaks. The Vision Council recommends the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, have your child look away from the device and stare across the room at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. After an hour or two of using the device, take a break for 15 minutes or more using distance vision only.  Most doctors recommend kids play outside to ensure they are using their distance vision.

 

Other experts go as far as to recommend no digital devices before the age of two and no more than one hour total under the age of 5. Luckily, this age range is not the range being dictated by the school district to be on digital devices. But it is something to consider if you have younger children in the home that are being home schooled as well.

 

All school districts are going to be different. If the school is requiring the child sit and listen to a lesson in real time and the breaks are not feasible, just do your best and remind your child that they don't have to stare at the screen to listen to a lesson. Take breaks and just look above the screen for short spurts of time.

 

 

What about Blue Light?

 

Blue light risk is a little controversial. We know that blue light does damage the eyes. Most of the blue light comes from the sun which is why it is important to wear sunglasses outside to protect from UV and from blue light (note: some sunglasses are better than others at blocking blue light). But what is under debate is if digital devices emit enough blue light to do any damage. Some doctors don't think that digital devices emit enough blue light to cause issues. Others think that the damage is real and needs to be taken into consideration with prolonged digital device usage.

 

I am of the opinion it is better to be safe than sorry and I do my best to protect myself from blue light and recommend blue light coatings to patients, especially to those who are work outside. Also, we do know that blue light also causes digital eye strain which can cause temporary issues like headaches, blurry vision and dry eyes.

 

Thus, it may be time to consider getting blue light blocking glasses for digital device usage. Blue light glasses can come in no prescription, or with slight correction that could help to ease the strain on looking at smaller screens. Or they can also come in full reading power strengths for mom and dads who may need reading glasses to use the computer or digital devices.

 

 

Let's discuss the slight correction. There are blue light readers mentioned above or prescription lenses on the market like Eyezen that have a little bit of reading power at the bottom of the lenses. This help the eye relax when looking at closer objects. One doctor explained it best this way. When you are working out with weights, the more reps you do, the more fatigue you'll experience. Your eye is a muscle too. Similarly, staring at a screen for long periods of time starts to increase the "weight" on your eyes causing fatigue. Giving the eye some "add" power can help to reduce the "heaviness" of the weight on your eye muscles. Everyone using digital devices can benefit from this including kids and millennials who would normally not need to wear "reading" power. It just lets the eyes relax more.

 

One more thing to note about blue light. If you already wear glasses and have Transitions or other photochromic lenses in them, you probably have some blue light protection already without really knowing it. You can feel safe using your regular glasses if you already have Transitions in them.

 

We are all trying to cope with the new world we are living in with social distancing. While technology makes it a lot easier for us to deal with, it also can negative effects that we need to be aware of so we can take the proper precautions. Stay safe!