Eye strain | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children

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Yesterday I had an eye doctor appointment.

As I sat in the waiting room, I noticed a small magazine entitled “Eye Care”.

It’s published by HealthMonitor.com and is packed full of valuable articles and information.

I know that many parents wonder about any dangerous effects that electronics…and their children’s use of things like mobile phones, iPads, 3-D handheld video games and laptops…might have.

Are electronics dangerous to your child’s eyes?

According to Dr. Benjamin Ticho, a pediatric ophthalmologist and associate professor at the University of Illinois:

There are no studies showing permanent or long-lasting visual damage from these types of devices.

But are there any temporary problems that can crop up from staring at portable game devices, surfing online or watching TV for prolonged periods of time?

The answer to this is YES! Strain, fatigue and dry or scratchy eyes can result from doing anything up close where our eyes are doing too many things: focusing, coordinating and moving close together…this can cause the eye muscles to get tired.

What can parents do to help avoid this?

Put a daily time limit on electronic devices.
Remind your child to get up frequently while engaged in a task or game.
Encourage your child to participate in outdoor activities or sports each day.
Use time playing video games or going on the computer as a reward for completing homework…that will insure that eyes are tired out before homework is done.

Tomorrow I’m going to share: 5 Ways to Treat Screen Strain…for all of you out there who blog.