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By Kristen Fischer
"It seems like children know how to operate tablets, smartphones, and computers almost from birth.
But those mesmerizing screens expose them to a number of long-term health threats. The American Optometric Association’s (AOA) 2015 American Eye-Q® survey found that 41 percent of parents say their kids spend three or more hours per day on digital devices. It also found that 66 percent of kids have their own smartphone or tablet.
Too much screen time can result in digital eyestrain, which can include burning, itchy, or tired eyes. Headaches, fatigue, blurred or double vision, loss of focus, and head and neck pain are other threats for children using screens too often and too long.
The Eyes Have It
Electronic devices also give off high-energy, short-wavelength blue and violet light.
This light can affect vision and cause premature aging of the eyes. Early research shows that overexposure to blue light can contribute to eyestrain and discomfort. It also can trigger serious conditions later in life such as age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness.
“We know that damage from UV light is cumulative in the eye and that a lifetime of protection is critical in protecting from certain eye-related disease as we age,” said McCarty. “Blue light is very near UV light in wavelength and energy and therefore there is concern for cumulative damage over a lifetime of exposure.”
The younger eye typically has a keen ability to accommodate and focus on close objects as the natural lens of the eye is smaller and clearer, she said. However, the accompanying blue light is more easily transmitted to the retina, potentially causing damage.
Blue light can also interrupt sleep patterns and circadian rhythms when children view screens close to bedtime. Toddlers may still be settling into healthy sleep patterns, so McCarty says it’s even more critical for blue-light exposure to be eliminated long before these children go to bed.
She said there is “increasing evidence to support a link between blue light exposure and macular degeneration.”...
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/screen-time-hurts-more-than-kids-eyes-101215
