As children’s engagement with smartphones, tablets, and laptops has increased dramatically in recent years, researchers continue to warn of long-term vision problems related to excessive screen time. There are multiple peer-reviewed studies validating this claim, one of the latest of which comes from Anglia Ruskin University. Learn more about how too much screen time can lead to myopia and other vision issues. 

What Did the Researchers Do?

The research team from Anglia Ruskin University examined data from over 3,000 studies, the participants of which ranged from three months to 30 years of age. Data from the studies measured how time in front of screens impacted eyesight. After careful analysis of the data, the team established a clear relationship between excessive screen time and the risk of nearsightedness. The team specifically found: 

• Kids who spent time in front of multiple devices were particularly vulnerable to nearsightedness. 
• Spending excessive time in front of a laptop and a smartphone was linked with an 80% risk of developing the condition. 
• Even when a smartphone was the only device being used, children were still 30% more likely to develop myopia. 

“Around half the global population is expected to have myopia by 2050, so it is a health concern that is escalating quickly,” said researcher Rupert Bourne. “Our study is the most comprehensive yet on this issue and shows a potential link between screen time and myopia in young people.” 

The COVID Factor: Screen Time during Quarantine 

Excessive, or at least increased, screen time was something of an inevitability during the pandemic, a time when the entire world went virtual. Between children engaging in remote learning for a year or more in some cases, and screen time serving as a common means of recreation and connection during self-isolation, children were spending more time on their screens than ever before. 

Combine this with the rapid proliferation of mobile technology and the increasingly younger age at which children are embracing it and experts say that it’s more of a concern now than ever. “This research comes at a time when our children have been spending more time than ever looking at screens for long periods, due to school closures, and it is clear that urgent research is needed to further understand how exposure to digital devices can affect our eyes and vision,” Bourne said. “We also know that people underestimate their own screen time, so future studies should use objective measures to capture this information.” 

*Dalli, K. (2021, October 12). Too much screen time may increase kids’ risk of vision problems, study finds. Consumer Affairs  https://www.phillyvoice.com/long-covid-19-symptoms-anemia-mayo-clinic-nference-study/