Technology Use May Lead to Future Eye Health and Vision Issues

Bridgeport, Conn. (Aug. 12, 2015) – Digital technology has become an integral part of children’s lives both in the classroom and at home, and it’s predicted that by 2028 – the year when students entering kindergarten this fall will graduate high school – many schools will rely heavily on computer simulations for instruction and will even incorporate virtual worlds into curriculums.

While advances in technology may help enhance learning, many digital devices are still relatively new and the long-term effects on young eyes are still being determined, making comprehensive, back-to-school eye exams essential. The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends parents take children in for an eye exam by an optometrist soon after six months of age, again by age three and annually thereafter.

According to the AOA’s 2015 American Eye-Q^® survey, 41 percent of parents say their kids spend three or more hours per day using digital devices, and 66 percent of kids have their own smartphone or tablet. Optometrists are closely monitoring new research surrounding the increasing amount of time today’s children spend indoors on electronic devices and the decreasing time spent playing outside. New studies suggest a lack of exposure to sunlight could affect the growth and development of the eyes and vision, possibly contributing to an increase in the number of cases of myopia, or nearsightedness, in younger people in recent years.

“Twenty-first century children have had access to electronic devices their entire lives,” Dr. Shawn Burns, Optometrist at Family Vision Center in Bridgeport, said. “Since technology use is expected to continue to climb, we need to make sure that children and parents are aware of the visual risks associated with staring at screens for long periods of time. We encourage parents to take the proper precautions to help alleviate eye and vision problems such as scheduling an annual eye exam, particularly before they head back to school each year.”

Family Vision Center is now offering $50 off of glasses for students heading back to school. To take advantage of this offer available until 9/14/15, call (203) 377-2020 and make an appointment for your child’s comprehensive eye exam. For additional information on children’s eye health and vision, please visit www.ct-eyecare.com.

About the American Eye-Q® survey:

The tenth annual American Eye-Q® survey was created and commissioned in conjunction with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB). From February 19—March 4, 2015, PSB conducted 1,000 online interviews among Americans 18 years and older who embodied a nationally representative sample of the U.S. general population. (Margin of error is plus or minus 3.10 percentage points at a 95% confidence level)