August is National Eye Exam Month and Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Did you know some common vision problems can be inherited? Certain conditions like strabismus (cross-eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye) and refraction errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism can be shared through genetics.
As a long-time wearer of glasses and contact lenses, I often tune in to how my children talk about what they can or can't see, and I know that screen time can also have negative effects. Practicing good "screen time hygiene" can prevent weaknesses in vision, headaches, and other common vision problems as children age. Try these five tips:
- Follow the "20-20-20" rule to give your eyes time to relax. Look up from the screen every 20 minutes and focus on something located at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Practice it now: Look up from your phone or computer and locate an object at least 20 feet from where you are. Count to 20 and set a reminder to do this again in another 20 minutes.
- Try to keep the screen or monitor at least 25 inches from your face, and position the screen so eye gaze is directed slightly downward. I often catch my boys with their tablets just a few inches from their faces, so I try to remind them to stretch out their arms, or set it farther back on the table or counter.
- When screens are brighter than the surrounding light, eyes have to work harder to process colors and contrast. If applicable, set your device to automatically adjust the screen's brightness, but if this isn't an option, adjust the room lighting to be brighter than the screen.
- Minimize screen time before bed. Now, I am not the best role model for this behavior, but I do utilize the blue light settings on my phone to help my body prepare for bedtime. Research shows that the blue light emitted from phone and computer screens can negatively impact circadian rhythms, or your body's natural wake and sleep patterns.
- Get regular eye exams. Some adults find they need a different set of glasses when working at a computer, either to reduce glare, block blue light, or prevent eye strain. Children don't necessarily recognize those needs themselves, so schedule regular appointments with your optometrist for them to have their eyes checked.
