Specsavers: Book an eye test this school holidays.

As we head into the school holidays it’s a great time for parents to be mindful of their children’s eye health and keep an eye on screen time, as well as book an eye exam to head into next term with happy, healthy eyes.
As children’s eyes are still developing during their schooling years, it’s important to identify any potential issues early so they can be corrected or managed.
In a children’s eye test, we typically look for signs of refractive error such as long and short-sightedness and astigmatism. We also assess for signs and symptoms of digital eye strain, as well as other ocular health issues.
When children are on phones and computers, it adds a significant demand on close vision, which can cause digital eye strain. Staring at screens and being indoors for extended periods of time has been shown to increase the risk of myopia or becoming short-sighted. This means the eyes focus well only on close objects, while more distant objects appear blurred. If your child complains about headaches, blurred vision, trouble focusing or any other issues with their eyes, we recommend booking an appointment with us straight away rather than waiting until their next check-up.
There are a few warning signs and symptoms that will generally indicate digital eye strain. These include sore, burning or itchy eyes, watery or dry eyes, children complaining of headaches, you notice your kids are struggling to focus on images or words on the screen, blurry or double vision and an increased sensitivity to light.
The good news is that eye strain does not lead to any permanent damage to your eyes, but there is plenty we can be doing for our kids to ensure our eye health is at its best to avoid digital eye strain.

Here are our top tips to avoid digital eye strain:

Remind your child to blink
This keeps the surface of your eyes from drying out.

Keep a bottle of water next to their computer or learning space
Your eyes dry out when you’re dehydrated so make sure your child is drinking plenty of water throughout the day!

Follow the “20-20-20” rule
This means every 20 minutes you should remind your child 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 with your child and ask them to look out at a faraway object to give their eyes a break from their screen.

Screen adjustments
Adjust the brightness and contrast of your child’s screen to match the level of light around them. Try increasing the contrast on their screen to reduce eye strain.

Consider their position
Adjust their position at the computer. When using a computer, your child should be sitting no closer than 60cm (about at arm's length) from the screen. Position the screen so their eyes gaze slightly downward, not straight ahead or up.

Consult your Optometrist
If symptoms are persistent, consult your optometrist who will be able to provide more insight and help.

Specsavers Optometrists are passionate about your child’s eye health. To book an appointment, visit https://www.specsavers.com.au for more information.