Eye Care and Impairment, It’s Time To Head Back To School.

As the new school year gets underway, it’s crucial to prioritize eye care and exams for students. Good vision is vital for learning, but it’s concerning that one in four children in the United States has significant vision impairments that can affect their education. Studies have shown that up to 80% of children’s learning up to age 12 is through their eyesight. Vision problems can harm a child’s confidence, social skills, and overall involvement in activities such as sports, art, and music. Therefore, it is recommended that children undergo a comprehensive eye exam before returning to school.

If a child doesn’t have any vision impairments, they should be examined at ages 3 and 5 or 6, before starting first grade. Unfortunately, vision impairments are often overlooked since they may not be obvious to the child. Blurry vision may seem normal to them and go unnoticed. Unlike hunger or dental problems, vision issues are not as apparent. This is where parents, family members, and teachers can play an essential role in recognizing vision problems and advocating for proper eye care.

Regular eye exams and eyeglasses, if necessary, should be a top priority for children’s vision health. It’s critical to detect any vision problems in children early on to ensure that they have the necessary visual skills to excel in school, sports, and other activities. Vision is the most important of the five senses and plays a vital role throughout childhood and beyond. Studies show that about 80% of what children learn in school is presented visually.

Overcoming Challenges of Online Learning

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), prolonged use of digital screens can result in digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome. This condition encompasses a range of eye and vision-related issues arising from the extended use of digital devices. The more time students spend online, the higher the chances of experiencing eye strain and convergence insufficiency. In fact, 57% of students report experiencing eye strain, while 61% show symptoms of convergence insufficiency. Among those with convergence insufficiency, 17% have severe cases.

Recent research conducted by ophthalmologists at Wills Eye Hospital has confirmed that excessive screen time can lead to increased eye strain in children. The study also suggests that eye strain can lead to convergence insufficiency, which makes reading difficult. Digital eye strain occurs when there is excessive exposure to a computer screen or other digital devices, resulting in eye and vision-related problems. Symptoms of digital eye strain include:

• Eye Discomfort
• Eye Fatigue
• Dry eye
• Blurry vision
• Headaches
• Uncorrected vision/hidden health problems may also contribute to eye strain

 Avoiding/Reducing Eye Strain

The Mayo Clinic reports that treatment for eyestrain consists of adjusting to your daily habits or your environment. There may be underline conditions that require some individuals to have treatment. Also

Below are things that you can do to avoid and or reduce eye strain:

• Wear glasses for specific activities like computer use and or reading
• Take regular eye breaks to help refocus your eyes
• Close blinds and/or shades
• Avoid placing your monitor directly in front of a window or white wall
• Place an anti-glare cover over the screen
• Adjust your monitor to a position that reduces strain
• Always put the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away so that the top of the screen is at or just below eye level

 The Mayo Clinic Suggests The Following Specific To Behavior And Lifestyle

• Adjust the lightning
• Take frequent breaks
• Limit time on a computer screen and digital devices
• Use artificial tears
• Improve your space air quality
• Choose the appropriate eyewear

Tips For Computers And Other Digital Devices (Mayo Clinic)

• Refresh your eyes by blinking often
  • Take eye breaks, the 20-20-20 rule; look at something every 20 minutes, 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds
• Reduce your glare by adjusting the lighting
• Adjust your monitor/adjust the position of your digital device
• Use a document holder
• Adjust the screen

Contact us immediately if you are experiencing any eye strain conditions. We are here for you to answer all your question about eye strain resulting from too much computer and digital devices exposure, and how to protect your children in the digital technology era.As the new school year gets underway, it’s crucial to prioritize eye care and exams for students. Good vision is vital for learning, but it’s concerning that one in four children in the United States has significant vision impairments that can affect their education. Studies have shown that up to 80% of children’s learning up to age 12 is through their eyesight. Vision problems can harm a child’s confidence, social skills, and overall involvement in activities such as sports, art, and music. Therefore, it is recommended that children undergo a comprehensive eye exam before returning to school. If a child doesn’t have any vision impairments, they should be examined at ages 3 and 5 or 6, before starting first grade.

 

Unfortunately, vision impairments are often overlooked since they may not be obvious to the child. Blurry vision may seem normal to them and go unnoticed. Unlike hunger or dental problems, vision issues are not as apparent. This is where parents, family members, and teachers can play an essential role in recognizing vision problems and advocating for proper eye care. Regular eye exams and eyeglasses, if necessary, should be a top priority for children’s vision health.

 

It’s critical to detect any vision problems in children early on to ensure that they have the necessary visual skills to excel in school, sports, and other activities. Vision is the most important of the five senses and plays a vital role throughout childhood and beyond. Studies show that about 80% of what children learn in school is presented visually.