Computers and digital devices are now a part of our society and won’t be going anywhere soon.  Computers add great value to a child’s education but can also be a source of many visual issues.

Don’t despair!  As informed parents, we need to accept this, and teach our children how to be responsible in their use.

Guidelines for time spent can be reviewed in our blog ‘too much time on digital devices’.  There are also other factors which will help you in ensuring that your child receives the benefits and not the bad side effects.  These include:

• Breaks every 30 minutes of use, including whole-body physical activity.
• Avoid use of screens at least one hour before bedtime. Keep those devices out of the bedroom.
• Outdoor activity over screen time should be encouraged.
• Review proper workstation ergonomics. See our blog “how to set up a workstation for my computer” for some tips on workstation ergonomics!
• Annual vision examinations which can assess your child’s focusing and binocular coordination, as well as need for stress relieving lenses. Staring at the computer screen can also cause dry eyes, and they may need to use artificial tears before and after screen use.