How much Digital Screen Time does your child average per day? As discussed in my VisionHelp Blog post entitled: How COVID-19 Related Excessive Digital Screen Time Causes Vision Problems in Children; excessive Digital Screen Time can have a significant detrimental effect on the human visual system. In general Digital Screen Time (DST) can be defined as the average time per day spent viewing a digital device within arms length of the screen. This includes academic, such as online learning, social media and recreational activities. Where pre-COVID near-point digital screen time used to be an occasional activity for children, primarily social and recreational, amounting to possibly 1-3 hours per day, now with the addition of academic instruction, the intensity of DST for many children can occupy on average 5-8 hours per day or more.
So, why is sustained DST potentially so detrimental? To better explain, one of the country’s leading
experts, Dr. Carl Hillier discusses this topic with La Jolla Learning Works in this recorded online webinar entitled: Efficient Visual Learning when Accessing Academic Instruction Online. Even more important, Dr. Hillier outlines key visual stress relieving steps that can be taken to reduce the impact of digital screen time on a child’s developing visual system.
Even with the importance of implementing visual stress reduction methods as outlined by Dr. Hillier, when visual problems pre-exist or are exacerbated by excessive DST, it is important to find a Developmental/Rehabilitation Optometrist for proper testing and treatment. Effective treatment typically involves properly prescribed “visual-stress relieving” lenses PLUS, when a child struggles with visual problems involving visual processing and/or eye tracking, eye teaming, eye focusing, then optometric vision therapy can provide the solution. For more clinical and practical insights and Doctor Locator check out the VisionHelp Vision and Learning Library.
Dan L Fortenbacher, O.D.,FCOVD
The VisionHelp Blog 