The COVID-19 pandemic has forced school, shopping centres, zoos, playgrounds, libraries and other activities to close. This has forced children to "shelter in their homes".
So what do a lot of kids do at home? They spend large amounts of time on devices - iPad, computer, phones. Lack of outdoor time and extensive near work are both serious risk factors for increasing myopia (shortsightedness) in children, a condition that increases the risk of permanent sight-threatening disease later in life. Will we see a large increase in children developing short-sightedness in the next year? Will myopic children find that their prescription increases in strength at a faster rate in the coming year due to the COVID-19 lifestyle restrictions. It is very possible?
So what can you as a parent do to lessen these serious challenges posed by the government's "shelter in home" instructions?
1. Ensure that your child goes outdoors for at least 1 hour every day. Perhaps aim for a long walk in the park each day.
2. Ensure that they take a 10-minute break for every 30 minutes of screen time and try and limit it to only 1-2 hours per day during these periods when they are at home.
3. Ensure that they maintain a longer working distance - i.e. don't let your child hold their books/devices too close to their face.
4. Find outdoor activities for your kids to play together, or for you to play with your kids! e.g. a ball game, or an Easter Egg hunt!
5. Have them read or work on their devices outdoors. High light levels are thought to be a key protective factor of outdoor time in regards to myopia. Even under shade, umbrella, or with a hat and sunglasses, the light levels typically reaching a child’s eye will exceed that of indoors. However, extended periods of near work, even outdoors may increase their risk of developing myopia, so get them doing other things also.
6. Being in Melbourne, being outdoors is not always feasible, so find fun activities to do with them indoors, e.g. hide and seek, or Lego, or get them involved in the kitchen! Have a look at this website for some inspiration! https://cookingwithkids.org/recipes/
Good luck and stay safe and sane! Our practice is open at the moment, so if you are concerned about your child’s eyesight or want to learn more about how we can limit their myopia progression, feel free to get in touch with us via 03 9349 3919, or vision@eyetch.net.au
For more information about myopia check out www.mykidsvision.org
There are plenty of great non-screentime activities on this list, such as indoor picnics, learning TikTok dances and filming them, playing charades and building box forts.