Teenagers, computers and smartphones

I AM particularly passionate about preventing children and teenagers becoming myopic (short sighted). There is compelling evidence excessive close work is a major factor in the development of myopia. A recent study has found the average teenager now spends 6.5 hours per day using some form of computer screen. Those 6.5 hours do not include time spent in class where lessons are now frequently computer based. Is it any wonder so many of this generation of youngsters are becoming myopic?

Australian researchers found getting our youngsters outside playing was a significant factor in reducing the risk of developing myopia. Limiting time spent on near vision tasks e.g. smartphone use and reading was also beneficial.

Many youngsters believe it is possible to multi-task using a smartphone in class and still pay attention to their lessons. Research has shown conclusively academic performance drops significantly when a child tries to multi-task. How many times have you been sitting talking to your child when they are on their smartphone, and you might as well be talking to yourself. The human brain is not capable of multi-tasking and, yes ladies, that applies to both sexes!

What can we do to help our youngsters? We could all stop using our phones at the dinner table and rediscover the art of conversation. We could have phone free rooms at home and perhaps encourage our youngsters to stop taking their phones into their bedrooms as they go to bed. We could all get more physically active and spend time outdoors. As families we all need to sit down and discuss sensible use of smartphones and computers and agree some basic rules about their use. We also need to ensure our youngsters have regular eye examinations to maximise their sight and minimise the risk of developing myopia.