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“Just five more minutes.” Every parent has heard it. Between schoolwork, group chats, gaming and endless scrolling, today’s kids are growing up with a screen in reach almost all day. It’s not something to panic about, but it is something worth paying attention to, especially when it comes to your child’s eyes.
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and the timing lines up well with back-to-school season. Before backpacks and busy schedules take over, it’s a good moment to think about how screen habits are shaping your child’s vision.
How much screen time are kids really getting?
More than you might think. Kids between the ages of 8 and 12 now spend around 5.5 hours a day on screens outside of schoolwork, and that number climbs even higher for teens. Add in homework and video calls with grandma, and the actual daily total often climbs well past that.
This is in no way a judgment on any family’s routine. Screens are woven into how kids learn, play and connect now. But it does mean your child’s eyes are doing more close-up, focused work than any generation before them.
What too much screen time does to young eyes
There are two things to be aware of here, and they’re different from each other.
- Digital eye strain is the short-term concern: dry or itchy eyes, blurry vision, headaches or trouble focusing after a long stretch on a device. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s often temporary and doesn’t cause lasting damage. The tricky part is that younger kids often can’t tell you their eyes feel tired. Watch for eye rubbing, sitting unusually close to the TV or a sudden reluctance to do homework or read.
- Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the longer-term concern. Rates of childhood myopia have roughly tripled worldwide over the past three decades, and researchers point to two main culprits working together: more time spent on close-up tasks like screens and books, and less time spent outdoors. The good news is that the outdoor piece is genuinely protective. Kids who spend at least two hours outside each day in natural daylight tend to have significantly lower rates of myopia than those who don’t.
“Taking care of your eyes is very important, regardless of your age. For kids, it’s even more important because it can have long-term consequences. Myopia leads to increased risk of retinal degenerations and retinal detachments later in life. As eye care providers, we’re not asking families to throw out the tablets. We’re asking them to adjust their habits and add outdoor time and screen breaks more frequently. Improving our daily habits can protect our vision and eye health for a lifetime.”
Austin Peterson, OD
Welia Health Optometrist
Simple habits that protect their eyes
None of this requires an overhaul of family life. A few small habits go a long way.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. It gives eye muscles a chance to relax and reset.
- Get outside, even for a little while. Aim for two hours of outdoor time each day, spread throughout the day—it helps protect developing eyes. Bike rides, backyard time and walking the dog all count.
- Keep screens at arm’s length. Devices held too close force eyes to work harder. A good rule of thumb is to keep screens about an arm’s length away and slightly below eye level.
- Blink on purpose. We blink less when we’re focused on a screen, which can leave eyes feeling dry or blurry. Remind kids to blink, especially during gaming or reading sessions.
- Power down before bed. Screen usage within an hour before bedtime can interfere with sleep, which affects far more than just the eyes.
Want to dive deeper? The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s guide to screen use for kids is a useful, parent-friendly resource.
When it’s time for an eye exam
Most digital eye strain resolves with a few habit changes at home. But if your child complains of ongoing headaches, consistently rubs their eyes, sits too close to screens even after reminders or squints to see the board at school, it’s worth scheduling a comprehensive eye exam. A vision screening at a well-child visit is a good start, but it doesn’t catch everything a full exam does.
With Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month falling right before the school year kicks off, it’s a natural time to get a checkup on the calendar. Our team offers comprehensive exams for kids and adults, right here in Mora. Call the Welia Health Eye Care Center at 320.679.2020 to schedule an appointment.
