As countries globally continue to unite in their fight against the highly infectious contagion, there has been a massive shift in work culture and educational institution operations globally. Students and teachers have moved online to continue their education, so classrooms have become virtual. The abrupt move to screen-based learning for children, on the other hand, is not exactly good news for parents, who have long struggled to combat excessive screen time for young children.
Children forcefully need to spend long hours in front of a screen since educational institutions began to operate digitally. If the necessary steps do not get taken promptly, this may have an impact on their vision. You must be very vigilant and active in managing your child’s screen time. Today, you will learn how to perform this daunting task and protect your child’s eyes during online classes.
Take Care Of Your Child’s Vision During Online Classes
As your children begin the virtual school year, you must consider their physical health when it comes to online classes, particularly their vision. While not a new issue, eye strain has become more prevalent due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift from in-person to online classrooms. You and your children may end up spending hours staring at a computer screen with few breaks in between, which can be excruciating if you do not know how to manage it. More time spent in front of screens for your kids, whether for school or entertainment, can cause eye strain, headaches, and even hearing loss. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to keep your child’s eyes and ears safe while learning online.
Here are ten tips to take care of your child’s vision during online classes.
1. Minimize Display Glare
Position the laptop screen to avoid glare if possible; for example, try to angle it away from the window. Alternatively, if you have fluorescent lights above you, you may discover that they are causing overhead glare. In those cases, replacing the bulbs with a desk lamp can help to reduce the effect. Just make sure to tilt your desk lamp in a way that reduces glare as well. Alternatively, an anti-glare/matte screen protector can assist you in banishing glare to a distant land.
2. Magnify
Fit the pages your child needs to see to the screen by zooming in on them. Use a second monitor if possible to spread out the pages they need to view. All of these adjustments can help you reduce the strain on their eyes.
3. Check Your Child’s Eyeglasses Prescription
If you believe your child’s prescription is no longer adequate, you should get a new one and wear glasses to avoid blurry vision and headaches. If it helps, see if you should (and can) get eye drops, which are known to help replenish the moisture your eyes require.
4. Adjust Screen Display
Check that your screen’s luminosity and contrast are in the Goldilocks zone. If the white background on your screen resembles a light source, it is too bright; otherwise, it is too dim. When the contrast between the text and the backdrop is stark, your eyes will strain (dark text on light is a safe bet).
5. Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break from screen use and focus on something 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. Consider affixing a poster of your child’s favorite idol or cartoon to a distant wall as an added incentive.
6. Mind the Posture
To begin, make sure your child does not hold the phone too close to his eyes, as this can cause strain and fatigue of the eye muscles. When using a laptop or a desktop computer, make sure the monitor is at eye level and prop it up with books.
7. Make Sure they Blink Regularly
It is not only vital to take regular breaks according to the 20/20/20 method (take a 20-second break from the digital device every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away), but it is also essential that your children blink frequently. To prevent itchy, dry eyes, teach them to slowly open and close their eyes at least ten times every 30 minutes. Also, you can remind your children to blink whenever they are engrossed in a gadget.
8. Limit “Entertainment” Screen Time
Too much screen time is harmful to your brain! Make it a point for your children to spend 30-60 minutes outside each day. Natural light is essential for healthy eyes because it slows the progression of myopia (nearsightedness).
9. Give Your Kids Healthy Meals
What you eat has a massive impact on how healthy your eyes are. Incorporating fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and, of course, water into your child’s diet will help keep their eyes healthy! A diet like this provides you with the variety of nutrients you need to keep your eyes healthy.
10. Make Sure they Get Enough Sleep
One of the most important ways for your child’s eyes to get the rest they need is to close them and remove them from light sources. As a result, ensure that your child gets at least 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
These essential tips will ensure that your child’s eyes stay protected, despite the increased screen time due to online classes.
Summary
Let us all agree. COVID-19 has changed our lives in unimaginable ways. And, the young population is dealing with significant changes in their world, that of how they study. The new academic year has begun. And, in India and around the world, the indefinite closure of primary educational institutions and higher-level universities has shifted knowledge transfer and acquisition away from traditional classroom settings and toward entirely virtual gatherings.
Aside from these tips, students should try to sit in an ergonomic position that reduces eye strain. An ergonomic position requires them to sit with their feet flat on the floor, shoulders relaxed, lower back supported, and arms at a right angle so that forearms rest in a straight line on the keyboard.
The eyes are responsible for sight, thus playing an essential role in all living systems and is a priceless gift to humanity. It is therefore critical to begin caring for your eyes at a young age. It helps maintain optimal vision, especially in the current challenging circumstances of lockdown and continuous online courses.
However, if your child does encounter an eye-related issue, remember only to reach out to the most advanced eye-care hospitals and clinics for the problem. The experts at Dada Laser Eye Institute will guide you through the eye problem and suggest the necessary steps for further treatment. The doctors explain the risks involved and share their knowledge about the issue before and after your treatment. You can contact our experts and get a consultation by dialing (+91) 992 299 5549 or you can fill out an online contact form.