Excessive screen time has been linked to attention problems, anxiety, sleep disruptions, obesity and a slew of other health issues. Eye care providers are also noticing a troubling trend: increasing rates of nearsightedness, or myopia.
The cause of myopia is multifactorial, including genetic and environmental factors. Importantly, myopia can be triggered or exacerbated by spending too much time focused on a near object—like a phone or tablet.
“There has been a lot of research going into why this change is happening and what can we do to prevent it or slow it down, since high levels of myopia are associated with eye diseases, like glaucoma, myopic macular degeneration and retina detachments,” says Amanda Beaudry, OD, an optometrist at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. “That’s the big-picture reason why we care so much about it.”
The good news is that most pediatricians are trained to do vision screenings, adds Lauren Hennein, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist and Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Rady Children’s and an assistant professor in the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California San Diego.
“It’s important that caregivers ensure that when they go to well-child visits, their pediatrician is performing vision screening,” she says. “The pediatrician should be screening for the need for glasses, the presence of eye misalignment, an abnormal red reflex, amongst other things, and can then refer the patient to a pediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist if indicated.”
The Division of Ophthalmology of Rady Children’s Specialists of San Diego provides comprehensive pediatric eye care and treatment for eye problems. It’s staffed by pediatric ophthalmologists, optometrists and a certified orthoptist. Each month, Rady Children’s sees more than 200 children with myopia, and in October, the Hospital opened a dedicated myopia clinic.
“Something that we’re really excited about is being able to offer a higher quality of care to all myopic patients in this area,” says Dr. Hennein.
Parents can also take action before myopia becomes a problem. Limit screen time to less than two hours a day (no screen time for children under 2) and encourage frequent breaks. Encourage outdoor play, which has been shown to protect against myopia. Also, highly myopic parents should request an early eye exam for their child.
“Screens aren’t going anywhere, and we’re all using them—but helping kids find balance and build good habits is what can help protect their vision,” says Dr. Beaudry.