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5 Ways to Protect Your Child's Eyes Indoors This Winter
Vision problems affect lots of kids. While regular eye care can certainly improve vision and reduce eye health problems, ideally, you want to do all you can to prevent issues in the first place.
If your child spends more time indoors during the winter months, you need to have a plan in place to ensure your child’s eyes stay healthy.
At ABC Children's Eye Specialists, our team is ready to help. In this post, learn five simple steps you can take to improve your child’s vision and eye health this winter and all year round.
1. Limit screen time
When kids are indoors, they naturally gravitate to laptops, tablets, phones, or TVs for their entertainment. While these options can definitely provide plenty of fun (and yes, education), too much screen time can lead to eye strain, headaches, and dry eyes.
Limiting overall daily screen time is one of the most important ways to protect your child’s vision. The easiest way to do this is to ensure that there are other enjoyable activities available by providing games, interactive toys, puzzles, craft activities, and books that your kids enjoy.
These options provide plenty of engagement while allowing eyes some much-needed rest. Plus, varying activities help your child discover new interests that could lead to a long-term hobby or skill.
2. Follow the 20-20-20 rule
When kids use a computer or other electronic device, follow the 20-20-20 rule. That means that for every 20 minutes of screen time, your child should take 20 seconds to focus 20 feet away (or across the room).
The 20-20-20 rule gives your eyes regular breaks, avoiding eye muscle strain along with strain in their neck, shoulders, and back. To make it easy to remember, set a timer on your child’s device.
Screen position is important, too. As a general rule, be sure the screen your child is using is positioned slightly below eye level and at least the distance between your child’s elbow and hand to reduce strain. The same is true when reading or doing any close-up activity.
3. Use a humidifier
Winter air is dry, especially in Phoenix. In fact, dry indoor air is a major cause of sore and irritated eyes in kids and adults. When their eyes feel sore, many kids rub them, increasing irritation and potentially leading to other problems, like scratched corneas.
To counteract dry air-induced irritation, consider placing a humidifier in your family room and your child’s bedroom to provide steady moisture. Keep the humidifier clean to avoid mold or mildew that can lead to respiratory issues.
4. Use the right lighting
Poor lighting can cause or contribute to eye strain and its symptoms. While it’s tempting to think that brighter lighting is always the answer, that’s not true. In fact, bright overhead lights can be just as problematic as dim lights, thanks to the glare it can cause.
Instead, aim for a balance. Use general lighting combined with task lighting, like a desk lamp or book light, to improve focus while limiting uncomfortable glare. With the right lighting in place, your child’s eyes can do what they’re supposed to do — see clearly without excess strain.
5. Keep up with eye exams
Even if your child’s eyes and vision seem perfectly fine, it’s still essential to keep up with regular eye exams. Winter is a great time to schedule an exam for your child, while the school year is underway and the busy days of spring and summer are still months away.
Regular pediatric eye exams “catch” problems early, even when the signs are extremely subtle. By addressing these issues early on, your child can avoid problems with school, sports, and social activities, while improving comfort and preventing eye diseases.
All it takes is a few simple steps to make a big difference in your child’s long-term eye health.
To learn more about protecting your child’s vision or to schedule a comprehensive eye exam for your child, call our offices to request an appointment with the team at ABC Children’s Eye Specialists in Phoenix, Avondale, Sun City, Gilbert, and Mesa, Arizona, today.
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