Digital Devices Are Changing Our Kids’ Eyes— Here’s What You Need to Know

Children in this generation are more exposed to digital devices for educational or entertainment purposes than ever before. 

According to a Pew Research Center survey, more than one-third of parents with a child under 12 say their child started using a smartphone before age five. While digital devices can help keep your children entertained, prolonged screen time among kids can be more dangerous than you think. 

Overexposure to digital devices can lead to vision problems, including nearsightedness or myopia. A study published in The Lancet mentions that insufficient outdoor activities and prolonged near-vision activities like gadget use might be associated with an increased risk of myopia. But how are digital devices changing our kids’ eyes? Below, we look at the number of myopia cases among children and what you can do to help preserve their vision health.

Myopia prevalence among kids

Research shows that more than one in three children globally were nearsighted in 2023, and this number is expected to rise to almost 40% by 2050. Myopia is an ocular condition that causes distant objects to appear blurry while closer objects look clear. This rising prevalence can be attributed to prolonged close-up tasks like using digital devices, which, according to studies, can cause the eyeballs to elongate. As a result, the light entering the eyes cannot bend properly, leading to blurry, distant vision.

Studies show that myopia can lead to further complications that increase the risk of sight loss over time, making preventive measures more crucial than ever.

Preserving your child’s vision health

The digital devices that your children use emit blue light, which has the shortest wavelength and highest energy in the visible light spectrum. This allows blue light to quickly reach the retina and cause eye strain. Studies also show that too much blue light can increase the chances of developing nearsightedness. Wearing blue light glasses or blue light filters on your glasses is one way to prevent these risks, especially for children who already need vision correction. These blue light-filtering lenses are available for prescription and non-prescription glasses and are designed to filter blue light from the sun and digital screens. Encouraging your children to wear these specialized glasses can help protect them from ocular damage while using gadgets.

Aside from wearing protective glasses, precautionary measures are also crucial for preventing eye conditions like myopia from worsening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer than half of preschool kids have had their eyes checked for ocular issues. However, taking your child to regular eye exams can help with detecting and treating vision problems early on. During an eye test, an expert can assess your child’s ocular health to check if they need specific interventions to preserve their vision. Consulting with an expert also allows both you and your child to access information on the proper ways to offset the effects of prolonged screen time.

Finally, one of the most effective ways to protect your child’s vision is to simply be mindful of their screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit the screen time of children aged two to five to just one hour per day. The AAP adds that devices should not interfere with children over five's exercise, sleep, and mealtimes. As an alternative to screen time, you can create a schedule for gadget use and frequently spend more time with your child outside. Aside from the health benefits of outdoor play, studies also show that spending time outdoors allows children to relax their eye muscles by focusing on distant objects.

Spending too much time in front of digital devices has become a common pastime activity for many children, but this can negatively impact their eyes. Wearing protective eyewear, scheduling eye check-ups, and limiting their screen time are all crucial in protecting their vision as they grow in the digital age.