Here’s yet another reason to demand more recess and frequent outdoor play for our children! When children play outdoors they have the chance to exercise their leg and arm muscles and rest their eyes muscles. The AAP suggests that children under the age of 2 not watch television and that viewing should be limited to 2 hours a day even for older children. Reasons cited include the rise in childhood obesity resulting from sedentary lifestyles and negative affects on mental, physical and social development. But there’s an additional reason to limit or restrict the use of computers, hand-held devises such as electronic games and phones, and television for all children.
The National Eye Institute corroborated recent studies conducted in Australia and Singapore that strongly suggest “screen time” can negatively impact visual development and increase the occurrence of myopia (near sightedness) in young children (Brown, 2009). Vision disorders are the fourth most prevalent class of disability in the United States and the most prevalent handicapping conditions in childhood (National Eye Institute, 2008). Documented rates of myopia--near sightedness--have risen steadily over the past 40 years.
The definitive cause of myopia has not yet been determined. Children of parents with myopia tend to develop myopia more frequently than children with non-myopic parents. Near sightedness can be inherited, the result of poor nutrition or due to other environments factors. This new information suggests “near work” may be an environmental factor contributing to myopia in children. Children who spend too much time on hand held gadgets such as gaming and entertainment devices, hand phones, personal computers may be at increased risk.
Typical symptoms of myopia in children:
- Complaints of headaches (possibly extra crankiness in infants and toddlers)
- Squinting at a television, hand-held device or while trying to do an activity that involves “close work”
- Rubbing or frequently touching eyes
- Frequently blinking – more than usual.
Why does myopia matter?
Myopia can be corrected with glasses or contacts; however, methods for vision screening in young children vary tremendously as does the effectiveness of the methods (National Eye Institute, 2008). Even with proper correction research shows the eyesight of individuals with myopia becomes progressively poorer over time. While this condition may not be uncommon nor seriously affect a child’s overall health, it can impact his or her ability to function in the everyday world now--and in a classroom setting when they move to a formal educational setting. Our formal education system requires that children have strong "near" eyesight in order to read and focus objects close by while doing “near work.”
Early childhood programs can help young children reduce eye strain by encouraging more outdoor play. Some studies show the risk of developing myopia is less when children spend more time focusing on things in the far distance. So take preventative measures! Step outside and look at the passing clouds.
Help children practice good eye care habits:
- Schedule regular outdoor times to ensure children break away from up close work to rest their eyes
- Inform parents about the many risks of television viewing, computer use, and hand-held devices
- Limit the amount of time you schedule any “close work” activities in the early childhood classroom
- Resist pressures to increase academic expectations that require “seat work”
- Encourage children to wear hats and/or sunglasses to protect eyes from overexposure to strong daylight
- Advocate recess time as part of every child’s day in your community!
The National Eye Institute. (2008). Vision In Preschoolers Study (VIP Study). Clinical Trials Database. Bethesda, MD: Author. (Retrieved 01/14/2010 online: http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/static/study85.asp)
Brown, K. (2009).Health & Home: Good reasons to limit screen time. Chinook Observer. Salem, OR: East Oregonian Publishing, Co. (Retrieved 01/14/2010 online: ttp://www.chinookobserver.com/Main.asp?SectionID=2&ArticleID=32020)
B. Seet, T. Y. Wong, D. Tan, S. M. Saw, V. Balakrishnan, L. Lee, and A. Lim. Myopia in Singapore: taking a public health approach. British Journal of Ophthalmology, v.85(5); May 2001. (Retrieved 01/14/2010 online: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1723957/)
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