Where books, CDs and letterheads once found their way under the Christmas tree, children now set their eyes on tablets, iPods and cellphones.
Amy Bakelaar can’t say if more children are coming to her clinic because of increased computer and cellphone use.
But the St. Albert optometrist has noticed a growing concern among parents about how close children hold these devices, and for how long.
The Vision Council of the United States describes computer vision strain as blurred vision, eye fatigue or irritation.
It conducted a survey found that kids tend to hold their devices closer, blink less often, and take less frequent breaks when using digital media.
Starting as young as two years old, they can spend more than two hours per day on a cellphone or tablet.
Parents and teachers do not always note the resulting eyestrain because children don’t complain.
But eyestrain can manifest itself as poor concentration, hyperactivity or slow learning.
Bakelaar, of St. Albert Optometrists Clinic, said parents should ensure their children maintain a distance of 40 to 50 centimetres from their computer screens and about 30 centimetres from handheld devices.
“Even if they laid it on the table rather than sitting on a chair hunched over it, that could be easier on them,” she said.
To avoid strain in general, Peter Roed with Community Vision Associates in St. Albert, recommends making the print size larger on screens, reading for shorter periods and employing the 20-20-20 rule.
For every 20 minutes of using the device, take a 20-second eye break and look at something beyond 20 feet.
“People worry about productivity but in the end, your eyes, if they are more comfortable, they will focus more quickly and you are probably more productive,” he said.
With children, he said, it’s not smart to allow hours of texting and cellphone use and parents should enforce moderation.
He said some optometrists also suspect a link between people becoming more near-sighted and intense study periods.
Bakelaar added that parents should change the colour and brightness settings on computers screens. Blue light strains eyes more than yellow light.
When there is a need to buy glasses, she said parents should not always go for the cheapest pair.
While kids tend to break them easily, quality optics are better for the eyes than cheap glasses from discount or online stores.
Many companies now offer free replacement lenses within a certain amount of time, which allows parents to buy good optics, she said.
“But the best advice I would give is for the parent to monitor them. And if there’s any question about their eyesight just bring them in,” she said.
