The Negative Effects Of Screen Time On Children

Nowadays, many children spend a lot of time in front of screens, and that can be a little worrying. Children do not seem to get tired of watching TV or playing records. It has been speculated that this obsession with electronic devices can cause many different problems, but something that is really confirmed is the negative effects of screen time on children’s vision.

Children use devices to play games, chat, use the Internet or watch movies. Whatever they do, it’s usually so interesting that they can not tear themselves off the screen to do something else.

The effects of too much screen time on children

Children who play also do not pay attention to things like posture, a safe distance from the screen and the brightness of the screen, which can affect their vision and health. Too much screen time can cause eye irritation. Problems such as dry eyes and eye irritation can occur, and they may also have difficulty concentrating for an extended period of time after spending a long time looking at a screen.

Spending too much time in the same position can also cause neck and back pain. If you have difficulty sitting in front of a screen at work for a long time, then imagine what must happen to your child’s eyes. Digital devices have become an obvious part of life. You can no longer completely avoid them, but you can minimize the impact they have on your children.

More consequences of too much screen time

The first thing you need to do is understand what you are dealing with. An average child spends about eight hours a day looking at electronic screens. Use among children increases with age. Although experts are not sure about this yet, children who spend too much time in front of screens have an increased risk of long-term vision problems.

Televisions and video games have been around for a long time, but most other devices have entered our lives in just the last two decades. While one can see the immediate effects on children, the long-term effects of screen time are still unknown.

Children who spend too much time in front of screens are likely to develop temporary myopia, or myopia. Fortunately, the effect is temporary and the eyes recover a few minutes after the child has switched to another activity.

However, the effect of spending too much time in front of screens is not limited to the eyes. In addition to symptoms such as dry eyes, a burning sensation, double vision and blurred vision, some also complain of headaches and posture problems, such as back and neck pain.

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or digital eye strain

Doctors now call this set of symptoms Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or digital eye strain. When people look at electronic screens, they blink less. On average, a person usually blinks about 15 times per minute.

However, as electronic screens require more focus, the frequency can drop to less than five times per minute. Blinking is a natural mechanism that keeps the eyes moist and clean.

A lower blink frequency leads to dry eyes and irritation. The degree to which this occurs varies depending on the type of activity and the degree of commitment. Therefore, a video game creates more eye strain than if you read, because you constantly have to watch and react to what is happening on the screen.

Desktops and wall-mounted TVs can make it worse because it makes you look up. This allows you to open your eyes more and overexpose the surface of the eye so that the tear fluid evaporates faster.

Electronic screens can produce bright and contrasting images, and these images can vary in a fraction of a second. They also reflect the brightness of the surrounding light sources, such as lamps and windows. Therefore, your eyes must constantly react to changing light levels.

Watch out for blue light and tired eyes

Looking at a screen that is too dim or too bright compared to your surroundings also overloads your eyes. They need to adapt as you switch from the screen to your surroundings. The often dilated pupil, and the subsequent contraction, leads to tired eyes.

Most modern devices have LED screens because they provide brighter images and consume less energy. However, the amount of blue light that these screens emit is worrying.

LED screens emit much more blue light compared to LCD screens. Although research is limited, many ophthalmologists suspect that blue light can cause irreversible damage to the retina.

This can increase the risk of changes in the macula and cataracts. The macula is the central part of the retina and is crucial for good vision. Degeneration in this area can make everyday activities, such as reading and driving, impossible.

With age, the eye lenses begin to turn yellow. For adults, this means a limited natural defense against blue light. However, children are also vulnerable.

Blue light can also interfere with the biological clock and affect sleep. 

Protecting our little ones from the negative effects of screen time is very important. If your child complains of a stinging sensation in the eyes, you may want to review how much screen time he or she has.