Is your child glued to screens most of the time playing games and watching? Well, chances are high that it takes a lot of persuasions to get them off the iPads and tablets. Most parents dealing with this challenge probably want their children to develop other hobbies aside from playing games. The eye specialists believe that they are unaware of the damage these devices can do to the children’s eyes.

This explains the high prevalence of eye problems among the kids that has been rising in the recent past. Studies have indicated that children who play video games tend to have eye problems unlike those who do not. Why is this the case? Children hold iPads and tablets close to their eyes to focus on video games and images. This causes vision problems which in turn leads to serious eye conditions. Let us have a detailed look at these conditions, shall we?

Myopia

If your child has Myopia, it means he or she cannot see anything clearly unless it is very close to the eyes. Anything that is at a distance will appear very blurred to such a child. This condition is very prevalent among people who play video games. In fact, China termed it as an “epidemic” and highly blamed it on the video games.

Unlike reading books, images and video game screens flicker several times at a given time. This causes the eyes of your child to focus differently on these screens, unlike other materials. The eyes will shift focus constantly which strain and force the eyes to focus on the screen closely. Struggling for a long period of time while trying to focus eventually results in Myopia.

Retina Damage

Indoor light is dimmer than the light in the outdoor by several magnitudes. Since kids play video games indoors, their eyes strain to focus. In addition to that, digital screens emit blue light with high energy. This light alongside the indoor dimness damages your child’s retina. It also contributes highly to the degeneration of the macular. Macular degeneration is one of the main causes of blindness. It is very advisable to ensure your kids take frequent breaks from the iPads frequently to prevent this irreversible damage.

Eye discomfort

One of the short-term effects of digital screens is eye discomfort. After playing games or watching a video for a long time, you will feel your eyes are up normal. You might feel that there are small particles in your eyes or feel your eyes are very itchy. Can you imagine how kids feel after using an iPad for long hours considering they have sensitive eyes?

The younger ones may not be able to explain to you how they feel. They will rub the eyes struggling with blurred vision for some time trying to get rid of the feeling. Just before the eyes get better, they are back on the iPad to play or watch again. This cycle continues until your child ends up with serious eyesight challenges.

Itchy and irritated eyes

Kids do not know when or how often they should take a break. As long as the iPad or computer game is interesting, they will stay locked on the screens. Also, they cannot tell how far they should sit from the computer or how far they should hold tablets and iPads from the eyes. This prolonged gameplay and watching irritate the eyes because they strain to focus.

Furthermore, kids get engulfed into the games and watching which causes them to blink less. This in turn affects the tear flow which results in dryness. Dryness leads to painful, itchy, and highly irritated eyes which can be overwhelming to kids.

Eyestrain

Computer games and videos demand a lot of attention from your child.

While maintaining this high level of focus and concentration, he or she will reduce the rate of blinking. This in turn leads to dry and strained eyes since blinking is responsible for spreading tears evenly in his or her eyes thereby preventing them from drying.

Additionally, the brightness, contrast, and flickering of the video screens strain the eyes. Since your child may alter the screen brightness without noticing, they end up glaring directly on the screen. In most cases, glaring involves straining to make out what is appearing on the screen which results in eye muscle fatigue. If the straining of the eyes continues your child will end up with serious eye conditions that could be permanent.

Blurred vision

Blurred vision is one of the major eye problems that result from too much use of digital screens. The more your child spends time on the tablet and iPads playing videos, the more this problem develops. They will eventually lose the ability to see small details due to a lack of visual sharpness. They will also be unable to see far objects because of focusing on the screen at a close range.

Your child’s vision is one of the most valuable abilities that should be protected by all means. This protection involves limiting the time that your child spends on the iPad, tablets, and computers. Encouraging your kids to do outdoor activities will greatly help in keeping your kids off the screens. In addition, ensure they take breaks after a short time into playing games and watching. This restriction will significantly reduce the odds of your child developing eye problems.

It is also important that your child gets examined by an optometrist from time to time. This will ensure any effects caused by digital screens are addressed before they develop into serious eye conditions. Where possible, it is recommended to get your child specialized glasses that can protect the eyes against glare.