EFFECT ON EYES IN CHILDREN DUE TO DIGITAL DEVICES - OJAS EYE HOSPITAL
Introduction
Increase in technology development results in increase in the use of digital devices. About 75% of teenagers have smartphones and 25% teens are constantly connected to the internet.
More than 75% of teens have their social media accounts on different social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat.
The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed a lot to the growing use of digital devices. It had changed the whole education system. Pandemic had made children more dependent on digital devices.
As much as the health of the children is at risk outside the home during a pandemic, it is equally compromised from staying inside the home due to the excessive use of digital devices.
Why There Is Increased Use Of Digital Devices By Children?
The pandemic majorly affects education along with the health of children. The classrooms of the schools are converted into computer or laptop screens at home.
Children have to spend most of the time on mobiles and the internet for their homework, online classes and many activities. COVID-19 pandemic restricts children involved in many outdoor activities such as playing, cycling etc.
Nowadays, parents give phones to children while doing house chores to keep them calm. At an early age of childhood, children have become a master of smartphones.
What Are The Common Eye Problems In Children Due To Digital Devices?
Keeping an eye on screens continuously for a long time can cause many eye-related problems such as
Computer vision syndrome
It is the eye strain caused due to increased exposure of eyes to the digital screen. It is a combination of symptoms that includes headache, fatigue, tired eyes, dry eyes and fluctuating vision. It also causes pain in the neck, back and shoulder.
Impairment in posture
Using a digital device for a long time in the same posture can cause muscle strain and tension which causes discomfort in the whole body mainly in the eyes, head, and neck.
Myopia (nearsightedness)
An increase in screen time also contributes to the development and progression of nearsightedness among children.
Increase blue light exposure
Blue light emitted from devices is very harmful to children’s eyes as well as their mental health. It can cause frequent headaches, fatigue and sleep disorders. You can also activate the eye protection feature now available on most devices.
Blurry vision
Staring at the same distance for a long time can cause the eye’s focusing system to go into spasm. It is noticed when the child looks away from the screen, and everything becomes a blur for some time.
Dry eyes
Children concentrate on digital devices for a prolonged time without blinking their eyes. The moisture content of the eyes evaporates easily. It results in dry eyes and causes discomfort in the eyes.
How To Manage The Digital Device Usage Time In Children?
Nowadays, it is very necessary to manage the digital device timings in children to prevent them from many adverse effects on health. As a parent what can you do to manage device usage? You can implement the following methods:
Don’t let your children sleep with mobile phones. Ask them strictly to keep all devices away for 1 hour before sleep.
Promote media-free time during dinner by turning off the TV and put the smartphone on ‘do not disturb’
Encourage your young ones to involve in different activities such as sports, exercise, and talking to each other.
You should also promote the 20-20-20 rule while using smartphones or laptops. The 20-20-20 rule states that a person should look away from the screen after every 20 minutes to focus on the object placed at 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.
You can encourage your children to take a few minutes break from the screen after every hour
Frequent blinking can reduce the chances of dry eyes. You can simply ask your child to blink more.
According to the experts, you can also follow the 1/2/10 rule that indicates the ideal position of digital devices from your eyes. For instance, the distance for mobile phones is 1 foot, for laptops or desktops 2 feet, and roughly 10 feet for televisions.
Regular eye examinations are preferred to maintain your child’s healthy eyes.
Conclusion
The use of digital devices is increasing day by day. Similarly, it also multiplies its adverse effect, especially in children. Parents need to restrict their young ones from not to expose to digital devices excessively.
Limiting exposure to devices and encourage engagement in various indoor activities such as talking, reading, etc can prevent your child from several eye problems. It also helps in enhancing mental health.
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Effect On Eyes In Children Due To Digital Devices
As much as the health of the children is at risk outside the home during a pandemic, it is equally compromised from staying inside the home due to the excessive use of digital devices.
Introduction
The new coronavirus is causing havoc all over the world. This new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, causes respiratory illness. The most common signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, coughing and breathing difficulties.
The virus can spread through infected droplets present in the surroundings. The droplets discharge from the nose or saliva of the infected person. The infected particles can enter through the nose, mouth as well as eyes. The virus can also cause conjunctivitis which is a rare condition. Avoiding touching the face, mouth, nose & eyes can prevent the virus spread to the human body.
Effect Of Covid-19 On Eyes
COVID-19 can cause conjunctivitis in rare cases. Conjunctivitis is also known as pink eye. Many doctors encounter that 1-3% of people with COVID-19 will get conjunctivitis. The virus infects the front layer of the eye that covers the white portion of the eye.
Patients with conjunctivitis may experience symptoms such as redness, swelling and itchiness in the eyes. Photopia, sensitivity to light is also reported in some patients. It does not mean that person having conjunctivitis necessarily has COVID-19. Over-the-counter medicines are beneficial in the treatment of many forms of conjunctivitis. The treatment takes 1-2 weeks to reduce the effect of conjunctivitis.
You should consult your doctor immediately if you have symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. It will become a matter of concern if you have macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, regular eye infection, loss of vision, painful or red eyes, headache, nausea and vomiting along with common symptoms of COVID-19. Your doctor may suggest you some preventive measures.
Side Effects Of Covid-19 Vaccine
The vaccine allows the body to raise immunity. It activates T and B lymphocyte cells which recognize the target virus to produce antibodies in the body. In the process of building immunity, it becomes normal to experience mild side effects.
The side effects are often mild and last for only a few days. According to the CDC and WHO, the common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include fever, fatigue, headache, chills, body aches, nausea.
It might include swelling, pain, redness, an itchy rash and mild irritation around the injection site. The site of injection is usually the upper arm.
Does Covid-19 Vaccine Affect Eyes?
The fear of experiencing side effects of the vaccine is the primary reason for hesitation for vaccination among many people. However, no significant evidence has been found to show that a vaccine can cause any vision-related side effects.
The most common reactions that occur among patients are pain, swelling, and redness at the site of injection. Systemic symptoms like muscle pain, fatigue, chills, and fever.
Various other vaccines, such as Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, Seasonal flu vaccine & Chickenpox, and Shingles vaccine, have side effects related to vision. These vaccines can cause mild to moderate side effects related to vision. There is no scientific evidence to prove that the COVID-19 vaccine can trigger vision-related problems.
Conclusion
The vaccine plays an essential role to curb the spread of the virus causing COVID-19. Medical treatments carry risks but most of the time these treatments prove to be beneficial. The vaccine does not give a 100% guarantee to provide complete protection against COVID-19. However, it helps in reducing the severity of symptoms if any person contracts COVID-19 in spite of taking full vaccination.
It is a must to keep social distancing, wear a mask in public & avoid touching the face, mouth, and nose. It is necessary to practice handwashing exercises frequently before touching the eyes, mouth, and nose.
With the progression every day, the world is preparing itself to look for a future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no concrete evidence to indicate that the COVID-19 vaccine has vision-related side effects.
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