Digital Eye Strain: Are Your Kids’ Eyes in Danger?

Updated – Originally published April 3, 2024

You may have seen reports about skyrocketing nearsightedness among kids. Hopefully you’re a cheerier parent than I am because my honest first thought was, “great, here’s something else I need to worry about.” 

The bad news is vision problems in kids really are a growing problem. One comprehensive study found, “a dramatic increase in myopia over the last 30 years, with the toll of myopia among children and teenagers set to top 740 million cases by 2050.”

The good news is that the solution is actually pretty simple: the best antidote is just spending more time outside. 

As easy as that sounds, I know it can be tough. As a parent, getting your kid to do anything that doesn’t have an immediate and obvious benefit can be challenging. I’ll do what I can to help.

First, let’s look just a little deeper at the problem. Then I’ll share some practical tips from experts to try out with your family. 

Why Are Vision Problems on the Rise in Kids?

Our kids’ eye health is worsening because of what they’re pointing their eyes at. The scientific explanation is a little wordier than that, but that’s the gist—too much time indoors, not enough time outside in the sunlight where their eyes have to alternate between focusing on nearby and faraway objects. 

It probably won’t surprise you that the primary culprit is screen time. And it also won’t surprise you that experts have come up with a funny official name (and acronym!) for the problem: computer vision syndrome.

What Is Computer Vision Syndrome? 

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is the comprehensive term for eye discomfort and vision problems caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens. Whether it’s a laptop, smartphone, or gaming tablet, all that screen time can lead to symptoms that affect focus, productivity, and overall well-being. 

Who Is Most Affected? 

While CVS can affect anyone, those who work or play on screens for extended periods are particularly at risk. Additionally, those who use their screens in poor lighting conditions, rely on contact lenses, or deal with uncorrected refractive errors (like nearsightedness) are more susceptible. 

If you or your kid do a lot of computer work or spend a lot of time staring at a phone or gaming online, you’re far from alone.

Symptoms of Too Much Screen Time on Eyes 

Spending hours in front of a screen often leads to physical strain on the eyes. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches 
• Dry or irritated eyes caused by reduced blinking while using digital screens 
• Blurred vision from focusing on a monitor for too long 
• Neck and shoulder pain due to poor posture or improperly adjusted screens 

Behavioral Symptoms 

If you’ve noticed changes in your kid’s focus or sensitivity, they might be experiencing behavioral symptoms of digital eye strain such as:

• Difficulty concentrating after extended screen use 
• Increased sensitivity to bright lights or glare 
• Needing to squint or adjust the screen’s brightness 

If these sound familiar, it might be time to rethink how your family interacts with screens. 

Computer Vision Syndrome Treatment 

For cases of severe CVS, an appointment with an eye care professional might be a necessary step. In most cases, though, some simple approaches can help. This collection of techniques has been dubbed “computer sunscreen.”

These simple approaches to reduce screen-induced eye irritation fall into four buckets: software, hardware, physical products, and lifestyle changes.

Software solutions include: Blue light filters (or night mode settings now common on many devices) and other software programs that automatically adjusts the screen’s lighting settings according to time of day. 

Hardware solutions include: Laptop shades or screen protectors that block light from the sides and top of a laptop to make it easier to see the screen in bright environments so your eyes aren’t overstrained. Some screen protectors also claim to block or reduce blue light transmission from the screen. 

Physical products include: Glasses with blue light-blocking lenses are marketed to help protect your eyes from blue light exposure (though experts aren’t sold on the benefits) and eye drops or  artificial tears to restore your tear film and keep eyes lubricated (especially for contact lens wearers). Other simple things to consider, especially for kids using laptops or tablets for homework:

Adjust Your Screen -Position the computer screen so it’s at eye level, about 20–28 inches away, and angled slightly downward. 

Consider Lighting Conditions – If your child needs to spend long stretches of time on a screen, ensure it’s done somewhere that has soft, indirect lighting where it is easy to eliminate bright lights or screen glare. 

Lifestyle changes include: Reducing screen time, in general. If your child uses screens for schoolwork, worthwhile hobbies (video editing, graphic design, etc.), or healthy amounts of gaming, encourage them to factor breaks into their allotted screen time and balance that screen time with time spent outside.

Digital Eye Strain Treatment

As mentioned above, the most effective strategy for combatting vision problems with your kids is to facilitate a healthy balance between screen time and outdoor play.

It’s worth mentioning that eye strain caused by prolonged usage of digital devices and computer screens is not any different from eye strain caused by non-digital activities (like reading a book in a dimly lit room). 

In fact, blue light — which was long rumored to cause permanent eye damage or to be the root cause of painful eye strain — actually doesn’t cause damage to the eye. 

While exposure to blue light can disrupt sleep schedules, exposure to digital screens isn’t necessarily worse than non-digital causes of eye strain. However, screen time does tend to eat up a lot more time than other non-digital eye strainers. And that means less time outside, which is important for eye health. 

Outdoor Play

Outdoor play is crucial for two basic reasons: 1) it displaces time spent on screens, which strain eyes, and 2) being outside brings additional health benefits that directly impact our vision.

From WebMD:

“Outdoor time is good for vision in several ways. When your eyes are exposed to sunlight, your body releases a chemical called dopamine…[and] dopamine slows down lengthening of the eye (axial growth). When the eye lengthens into an oval shape rather than the round shape it should be, light rays don’t focus on the retina as they should, causing nearsightedness.

Sunshine also provides vitamin D. Some studies show that people with myopia have lower vitamin D levels than people without the condition…

Finally, being outside gives kids a bigger picture… Research shows that most of our activities are literally within arm’s reach, whether it’s screen time, reading, or other activities. Being outdoors allows kids to focus on things at different distances – a “workout” for the eye.”

Adopt the 20-20-20 Rule 

One of the easiest ways to reduce eye strain is the 20-20-20 rule. This involves looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes of screen use. It’s a simple way to give your eyes regular breaks throughout the day.

Create Screen-Free Zones 

Set boundaries for screen time, especially in areas like the bedroom or during meals. This helps your eyes recover naturally while reducing dependency on screens. 

Does Screen Time Affect Vision Permanently? 

Most symptoms of digital eye strain are temporary and resolve with rest or improved habits. However, extended screen time can worsen existing refractive errors. Experts continue to study the long-term effects of heavy screen use, but no direct evidence currently links screens to permanent vision loss in adults. 

Does Screen Time Affect Vision in Toddlers? 

Yes. Toddlers’ developing eyes need extra care, and too much screen exposure could contribute to myopia or disrupted sleep patterns. The growing use of screens among children has sparked a lot of conversation about their eye health so expect to see more research come in on this in coming years.

Recommendations for Parents 

Set Limits. You should draw lines that make sense for your family but it’s worth considering recommendations from experts. For example, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry provides the following guidelines: 

• 0 – 18 months: limit to video chatting along with an adult.
• 18 – 24 months: limit to educational programming with a caregiver.
• 2 – 5 years: limit non-educational screen time to about 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours on the weekends.
• 6 years+:  encourage healthy habits and limit activities that include screens.

Encourage Play Outdoors. Natural light stimulates healthy eye development, so prioritize outdoor activity over extended screen use. 

Create Interactive Alternatives. Engage young ones with books, toys, or interactive play. Screens don’t always have to be the entertainment default. 

Prioritize Your Eye Health in a Digital World 

It’s clear that spending hours on computers, phones, or tablets comes at a cost, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to protect your child’s vision. Consider devices free of social media (with their infinite feeds) and other time-sucking apps. Your child can spend time in the digital world without ruining their eyes, we just need to be intentional about it. The right devices can make that much easier.

Even if you’ve helped your child establish healthy boundaries with tech, it’s good to know the info above to prevent eye strain. Any other strategies come to mind? Let us know in the comments below!