Interestingly, The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAP) mentioned that kids who spend more time indoors (using their computer devices) have a higher risk of developing myopia compared to children who spend extra 40 minutes of their time outdoors.
It’s still unclear how spending time outdoors reduces myopia risk, but researchers believe that natural sunlight is essential for the kids’ eye health. Of course, this is as long as they wear eye protection like sunglasses.
It messes up the eyes’ “focusing system”
Too much screen time also negatively affects kids’ eyes because it can temporarily mess up the eyes’ focusing system.
Experts explain that focusing on the same distance for an extended period can “lock’ the eyes’ focusing system (accommodative spasm). This means that once your child takes their eyes away from the screen, they may have difficulty focusing.
Please take note that accommodative spasm results in blurry vision. The good news is, this condition is temporary and reversible.
They may have dry eyes
One of the possible symptoms of too much screen time is dry eyes. Studies show that people who spend too much time focusing on their screen blink less often; this can dry out the eyes and cause irritation.
For children, though, it could be worse at times.
In most cases, laptops and computers are situated above their visual field. This makes them open their upper eyelids wider, resulting in faster evaporation of the eye’s natural moisture.
How much is too much screen time?
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