High Screen time of Kids — Its impact on eyes and solution

Family time in most nuclear families of the 21st century is watching television together or sitting together with digital devices in everyone’s hands, each with buried heads on the phone or pad. My sister’s family of three with a toddler is the same. The child is either watching his favourite nursery rhymes on the television screen or his parent’s multiple digital devices. The average screen time for him is probably more than for adults. And as a parent, it is worrisome as this high screen time impacts your kid’s eyes.

How much screen time is too much

In the UK, children aged 5–16 years spend 6–7 hours on average on computers and other digital devices. Children attend online classes on digital devices, do the assignments and spend some time playing games online. And there’s also the time for watching their favourite TV shows and browsing social media.

With the pandemic scenario, children don’t have any other option but to spend time on their digital devices. You could hardly say anything to that. Now, this too much screen time is affecting the eyes of your kids.

For kids below age 5, the average screen time should be as little as an hour. And for kids above age 5, as long as they are actively participating in extra-curricular activities, studying and spending quality time with friends and family, the number of hours does not matter. It should not come in between their growth process. It should be as little as possible.

Impact on kids eyes

Kids’ eyes are not fully developed. And the usage of digital devices harms their eyes making their eyesight weaker. The blue lights emitted from the screen strains their eyes. Their eyes hurt and their eyesight becomes weaker.

Get a free eye test for your kids with the NHS to check on the condition of their eyes. It is not easy to limit the screen time of children. You should better make them wear glasses that block blue lights. Blocking blue lights emitted from the computer screen can help in protecting your child’s eye.

Apart from weak eyesight, long hours of blue light exposure can lead to eye strain, eye fatigue, red eyes, dry eyes, headaches and insomnia in extreme cases. You should try to limit the time they spend on digital devices and get the blue vision glasses to block the blue lights.

For an effective result, you can try out X-Blue UV lenses from Specscart. These lenses can block 99.99 percent of blue lights. You can order a free home trial before purchasing and check the efficiency at home.

How to protect your kid’s eyes

You can take away the digital devices from your kid’s hands. Easily said than done. Those who have children would know how difficult it is. Their constant whining and bantering can even make stone statues bow down. What can their parents do?

1. Spend Time with your family

As busy as you are, spending quality time with your family should be a priority. Nothing is more important than your child’s growth. Spend some time with them. You can read them stories or create art masterpieces with them. You can spend time educating them or simply talk with them.

You can spend time watching their favourite show too. But make them wear blue vision glasses. You can get prescription & non-prescription glasses with blue light blocking lenses.

2. Be a role model

Children are parent’s copycats. They learn by copying their parents. They speak just like you, walk like you and even copy the way you use your phone. Do not use your phone too much in front of them as it is setting the wrong model for them. You are using your phone but reprimanding them when they do. Your child will feel wronged.

3. Stick and carrot

Incentivise them to do a good deed. Make them help in the kitchen or do household chores like doing dishes or sweeping the house. Reward them with a few extra minutes of screen time.

When they do something bad, deduct their video game time or internet time. This stick and carrot method will make them do more good.

By doing so, you can make them busy with other activities and cut down their screen time.

4. Go outdoors

Go outdoors and get fresh air. Take them to the nearby park for morning exercises or just playing.

5. Plan outings

You can plan outings like a visit to a museum, road trip or backpacking trip with your family. You can spend time together and let your child have an opportunity to learn new things.

You can do many activities to take the kid’s mind off the digital devices. You will have to let them know what it is like without phones and it is also possible to have fun activities without relying on phones or any digital devices.

It is a difficult task and requires a lot of time from you. But it is the only way you can protect your child’s vision. You can get glasses for them too. It will help in reducing the effect of blue lights. Order blue vision glasses from Specscart. You can get a 24-hour dispatch on prescription glasses and non-prescription glasses. You can get glasses as fast as the next day and start using the glasses.