If your teenager is like most kids nowadays, digital gadgets take up many hours of daily life. From a young age, kids spend a vast amount of time staring at screens, be it smartphones, iPads, tablets, or computers. While digital tech certainly enhances our lives, the downside is that it also poses a number of health risks, especially to your eyes.
It makes no difference whether your teen is researching a school assignment or chatting with friends, gazing at an LED display can lead to digital eyestrain. Over time, this condition can deteriorate into the chronic problems of Computer Vision Syndrome. At Oakbrook Optical Eyecare, our doctors treat an increasing number of kids who visit with the classic complaints of computer vision.
What is Computer Vision Syndrome & How to Prevent It
This contemporary condition describes eyestrain that can be blamed on computer usage. Typically, the level of discomfort is in proportion to the amount of time spent with eyes connected to a screen.
Symptoms of computer vision include:
- Headaches
- Eye irritation and redness
- Dry eyes, due to reduced blinking
- Blurry vision
- Neck, shoulder and back pain
If your child experiences any of the above symptoms, we recommend that you schedule a comprehensive and convenient eye exam near me as soon as possible to avoid any lasting damage.
Blue Light and Headaches
All electronic gadgets emit blue light, which is a short, high-energy wavelength on the visible light spectrum. Natural sunlight also emits blues light, and in moderate doses, this type is beneficial to us because it helps to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm and sleep cycles. However, artificial blue light – especially overexposure to it – is associated with a bunch of health hazards and complications. And kids are more susceptible to the effects of blue light because the eye’s natural lens filters are not fully developed until adulthood.
For starters, blue light flickers. This type of glare can diminish the contrast between text and background, as well as interfere with visual comfort. Extra stress is placed on the eyes, and blue light and headaches are a common combo that results.
Secondly, exposure to all this artificial blue light can interfere with sleep cycles and make it hard to doze off even when your body is ready to rest. The typical teen keeps gadgets glowing until the wee hours, which is a habit that can lead to insomnia and sleep deprivation.
What’s the problem with sleep deprivation? The list is long. Health problems include depression and anxiety, a weakened immune system, learning challenges, and unstable emotional behavior. In sum, all kids should be encouraged to shut down their digital devices at least an hour or two before bedtime.
Computer Glasses Can Help
Specialty computer glasses can protect your teen’s eyes against blue light to help prevent the bothersome symptoms of computer vision. The lenses have a customized coating that filters out blue light, thereby minimizing the health threats. Computer glasses also enhance comfortable intermediate viewing, which refers to the distance most screens are placed away from your eyes.
To learn more about computer vision and how to guard your child’s eyes against blue light, contact our eye doctors. We stay up-to-date with all the latest treatments in optometry, and we offer modern computer glasses and other advanced methods to prevent ocular damage from digital screens and computers.