OPTOMETRIST Jason Kimberly from Specsavers Coffs Harbour is urging local parents to schedule an eye test for their children with concerns over digital eye strain as the school year begins.

Specsavers is promoting the slogan ‘Under eight or it’s too late’ and says that new research has found that children aged eight and under are spending an average of 2.5 hours per day on screens (more than double the WHO recommendation), and a majority have access to multiple devices in the home, including a TV, tablet, mobile phone, computer and handheld gaming device.

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“As Optometrists, we like to encourage parents and carers to ensure their children have their first eye test before starting school to detect and correct or manage any issues, so they don’t go untreated,” Mr Kimberly said.

“Children’s eyes are still developing during their schooling years, and myopia, or as its more commonly known, short sightedness, is on the rise in children globally.”

Mr Kimberly said there are 8,794 children in Coffs Harbour up to nine years of age who could be spending too much time on screens, unknowingly increasing their risk of myopia, or short sightedness, brought on by digital eye strain and almost one in three young children have never had an eye test.

He said that while screen time is largely unavoidable between school, study and entertainment, to ensure every child enjoys a healthy start to the new year optometrists are strongly suggesting that parents and carers in Coffs Harbour include an eye test on their health check list ahead of the new school year.

Mr Kimberly’s tips to avoid digital eye strain include reminding children to blink to keep the surface of their eyes from drying out and drinking plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

He suggests the ‘20-20-20’ rule, which means, every 20 minutes remind children to shift their eyes to
look at an object at least 20 metres away, for at least 20 seconds – the easiest way to do this is to take small ‘window’ breaks and look out at a faraway object to give tired eyes a break from the screen.

Spending time playing outside or stepping away from the screen to do another activity to give their eyes a break is also essential.

“If your child complains about headaches, blurred vision, trouble focusing or any other issues with their eyes, I recommend booking an appointment with an optometrist immediately, rather than waiting until their next check-up,” Mr Kimberly said.

By Andrew VIVIAN