SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Smartphones and iPads come in handy when you need to entertain the kids.
“Everybody needs a break. I’m not lying there, there are times when we whip out the phone and say just watch this,” says Colin Pier-Silver, a mom of an 8-year-old boy. “That is the exception. It’s not the rule.”
But now, doctors are emphasizing new rules are needed for limiting screen time use in children because it could harm their vision.
“The amount of nearsightedness is going up in every child age group,” says Dr. Steve Gerber, Advanced Ophthalmology Michiana. He’s seeing a significant rise in very young children diagnosed with myopia, or nearsightedness. He says screen time is a big part of the blame.
“Kids under 2, it almost has a hypnotic effect on them,” Dr. Gerber says. “It’s not a good thing and we know it’s not good for their eyes.”
Dr. Gerber says intense up-close focus can even change the shape of young kids’ eyes.
“Something about looking up close for prolonged periods sends a signal to your eye that it actually starts to grow longer,” Dr. Gerber says.
And that can cause serious problems many years from now.
“It almost stretches the eye so much, the inner layers can break, which is what a retinal detachment is, and cause glaucoma and macular problems,” Dr. Gerber says. “So yeah, it’s a physical change due to all this up-close time.”
So, what’s safe?
Dr. Gerber says kids ages 0-2 should have zero screen time. For ages 2-5, up to one hour a day of educational, high-quality videos.
Older kids should still limit their time. He suggests the 20-20-20 rule.
“For every 20 minutes on a screen, you should look at 20 feet for 20 seconds. It sort of breaks the locking of the vision on something near,” Dr. Gerber says.
Outdoor time helps. It’s what the Silver family enjoys — especially 8-year-old Solomon, who likes to fly model planes. Indoors, his mom urges him to find other activities.
“We could be doing board games, which are good for you,” Solomon says.
Solomon will likely need glasses someday for nearsightedness just like his parents. He doesn’t need them yet and staying off screens will help.
“It’s so tempting to just do the electronic pacifier, but we didn’t want to start that,” Silver says.
Keeping young eyes focused for the future.
Dr. Gerber says in the world population, the amount of myopia is projected to double in the next 20 to 25 years.
Vision is just part of the concerns for young kids using screens. Be sure to tune in to the “Today” show right here on WNDU Wednesday morning — they’re going to talk more about screen safety and children.
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