3 ways to limit your child’s screen time and protect the retina from damage

In a world where everything is now done on devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, or PCs, it has become imperative that we are careful of the time that is spent in front of the screen especially when it comes to school-goers.

UNICEF recommends that screen time for children between the age of two and five years should not exceed one hour; for older children and adolescents, – other than online classes maximum of two hours.

Samita Vij, Head of the Computer Department at Apeejay School, Nerul in Navi Mumbai said that it is impractical to expect students to stay away from their devices. More as so we can say it is the after effect of the pandemic.

“A lot of school work involves sitting in front of laptops or PCs. To tell the student: ‘Don’t use your devices,’ is next to impossible. So the next best thing that we tell our students is to be judicious,” Vij said.

Also as teachers we can create assignments/home works which are pen paper based and take them away from the screen, Vij opined.

Teachers also tell their students to spend as little time as possible in front of their screens. “We ask them to do some sitting exercises – hand and neck movements – so that they get a break from looking at their computers all the time. We tell them that after they have finished working on the computer, they must go out and play,” Vij stated.

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It is impossible to tell students to limit their device use. The next best thing that we tell our students is to be judicious

– Samita Vij, Head of the Computer Department at Apeejay School, Nerul

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According to Dr Aparna Darswal, senior consultant & Head of Unit (I) – Ophthalmology, Asian Hospital Faridabad it is impossible to keep to the recommendation that has been made by bodies like the World Health Organization to restrict screen time to an hour. “Instead what students can do is to take a break after every hour for 15-20 minutes to give the eyes rest,” Dr Darswal advised.

She opined that constantly looking at the screen can have a damaging effect on the eyes. “Eye strain which is also called Computer Vision Syndrome can cause several issues. Red eyes, watering of the eyes, irritation, or itchiness are commonly seen in kids who spend long hours in front of their devices. Eye fatigue is another common problem that students may have,” Dr Darswal warned.

Second, too much screen time can lead to myopia. “Kids are still growing and excess time spent in front of the devices impacts eyes and the child may need spectacles. In case the child is already sporting glasses, there is a chance that the power will keep increasing as they grow,” she said.

There are some psychological effects also. If the child is not playing or not interacting socially and spending a lot of time on the devices it affects the mental and emotional well-being as well.

Blue light can cause more harm

Dr Darswal said that since all devices emit blue light, spending too much time in front of the screen can be detrimental to the retina. “Blue light is the main light which is a spectrum of wavelengths that come out of devices. Besides causing more eye strain and dryness, it can lead to macular damage and affect the retina,” Dr Darswal stressed.

Disturbs circadian rhythm

Long hours spent looking at the blue light can disturb a child’s circadian rhythm. It disturbs the secretion of melatonin which is important for sleeping and maintaining the body cycle. “A word of caution. While there are blue filter glasses available in the market that children and adults can use, it doesn’t mean that they have free reign for hours on end to be on their devices. These glasses only filter only some of the blue light. Children should still spend time on the devices judicially,” Dr Darswal said.

How many times should parents take their child to an ophthalmologist?

“If the child is wearing glasses, the parent must get the power checked every six months. This is because, in children, the number is constantly changing. If they’re not using glasses, a yearly check- will suffice. Of course, the parent must bring the child in cases of issues like watering, redness, and irritation,” Dr Darswal said in conclusion.

Red eyes, watering of the eyes, irritation, or itchiness are commonly seen in kids who spend long hours in front of their devices

–Dr Aparna Darswal, senior consultant & Head of Unit (I) – Ophthalmology, Asian Hospital Faridabad