Children Eye Care Tips: The Importance of Myopia control, Screen Time & Early Eye Checkups

Myopia is an eye condition in which distant objects appear blurred or distorted. The main reasons for this in children are:

• Too much screen time
• Inappropriate reading posture
• Less involvement in outdoor activities
• Genetics (risk increases if parents have myopia too)

Parents should pay attention to these signs to notify the issues of myopia, listed below:

• Looking too close to the TV or board
• Eyes squinting (looking with small eyes)
• Lack of interest in reading
• Complaints of headaches or eye strain
• Feeling excessive glare from lights

Attention Needed: If these symptoms are seen, then immediately get a check-up done by an eye specialist nearby your location.

Giving a lot of time to mobile, tablet and computer, children may suffer from these issues:

• Digital Eye Strain : Burning in eyes, watery eyes, blurred vision.
• Sleep Disruption : Blue light disturbs melatonin production, sleep decreases.
• Myopia Progression : Continuous near focus increases myopia quickly.

Below find some eye care tips that help to control myopia issues in children :

1. Screen Time Limit: Limit screen time to a maximum of 1-2 hours for children aged between 5 and 12 years.
2. 20-20-20 Rule: After every 20 minutes of screen use, look at things 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
3. Outdoor Play: Involve with some outdoor activities for at least 1-2 hours in natural light every day.
4. Proper Lighting: Do homework or reading in bright and even light.
5. Ergonomic Sitting: Keep maintain a proper distance of 18-24 inches from the book or screen.

Below find some of the mandatory vitamins and minerals that needed to be consumed:

• Vitamin A: Carrot, spinach, mango
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fish, walnuts
• Vitamin C & E: Citrus fruits, almonds
• Zinc: Pumpkin seeds, lentils

Balanced diet + outdoor activity + regular eye check-up = healthy vision for life.