Digital Eye Strain in Kids: Balancing Screen Time for Optimal Vision

As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, the usage of digital screens for children has risen exponentially. While digital devices can provide hours of entertainment, excessive screen use may lead to painful eye conditions. One such condition is digital eye strain, also called computer vision syndrome. Caroline Robison Optometry in Tehachapi and Ridgecrest, CA, offers computer vision and dry eye treatment to help your child see clearly and comfortably again. We are here to tell you more about digital eye strain and how our pediatric eye doctor can treat it.

Understanding Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain occurs when you stare at a computer, smartphone, tablet, or other digital device for extended periods. Doing so can result in eye irritation and dryness due to not blinking as much as you typically would. The smaller text on digital screens also causes your eyes to strain to read. Some frequent symptoms of digital eye strain include the following:

•             Dry eyes

•             Blurry vision

•             Irritated or itchy eyes

•             Frequent headaches

What Should I Do About Screen Time?

Finding a balance to your child’s screen time is vital for preventing digital eye strain. Remind your child to blink more frequently when using a digital device. You should also establish breaks in screen time to help your child’s eyes refocus and adjust. The 20-20-20 rule is a great way to do this. This rule has your child look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds whenever they look at a screen for 20 minutes.

How Our Optometrist Can Help

In addition to the above tips for limiting your child’s screen time, our optometrist can provide treatment to ease your child’s computer vision symptoms. We can prescribe computer vision glasses that block blue light from screens. Too much blue light exposure can cause eye irritation and difficulty sleeping. Dry eye treatment may involve artificial tears or prescription eye drops.

Visit Our Pediatric Eye Doctor to Treat Your Child’s Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain can significantly impact your child’s daily life and affect their performance in school, so contact Caroline Robison Optometry in Tehachapi and Ridgecrest, CA, to protect your child’s vision with our pediatric eye care. Call us and schedule an appointment today at our Tehachapi office at (661) 972-6890 or our Ridgecrest office at (760) 375-4496.