Preventing Your Kid from Getting Myopia Due to Use of a Computer for Kids

Kids Getting Myopia

It has been found by research that it is good for preschool children to use computers at home to make them ready for the school. However, it has also been revealed by research that near sightedness or myopia is also in the increase during the recent years. Though the main cause for it is found to be hereditary, most eye specialists believe that it is the computer for kids that is responsible for the effect. As such, the parents must be educated on how to prevent their kids facing such problems and still allow their kids to use computers.

Symptoms of myopia and the causes

Kids and Computer

If your kid reads what appears on the computers screen and is able to see with no difficulty but finds it difficult to read road signs, probably he is suffering from near sightedness. When you take him to an ophthalmologist, you will be able to confirm your fears or clear your doubts. In case he is confirmed to have a problem, a pair of spectacles is the answer.

It has been found that looking at pictures on computer screen is more strenuous for eyes than looking at ordinary print on paper. Therefore, when your kid is looking at a computer for kids the muscle in the eye that is responsible for focusing the eye is strained. This is how computer use could bring about near sightedness in a kid.

How to avoid kids getting near sightedness through the use of computer

Kid Playing on Computer

Remedy for this problem is not a difficult thing to follow. Only you need to get your kid to have frequent breaks from the computer. The best way to do it is called by some people the 20-20-10 rule. This means when your kid is working or playing in front of the computer, he has to take his eyes off every 20 minutes and look at an object at least 20 feet away for 10 seconds. This will relax the eye muscle and will prevent causing myopia.

Since it is not yet tested and proven that the use of computers bring about myopia in children, you never need to stop your kid from using a computer. But it is a good idea to limit its use for a reasonable duration of time in a day. Besides, when you train your kid to follow necessary precautions, he could save himself from getting affected by myopia easily. So, it is the responsibility of parents to get their children to use computer for kids the right way.