Screens and Children’s Eyes: What Every Parent Should Know (and the 5 Warning Signs)

Tablets, phones, television: our children’s eyes have never been so strained. The result: myopia is rising worldwide, and consultations for children’s eye strain are soaring. Here is what the studies show, and above all, what you can concretely do at home.

Why screens promote myopia

Myopia appears when the eye “lengthens” during growth. Two factors accelerate this in children: prolonged near work (screens, but also intensive reading) and a lack of natural light. Children who spend a lot of time outdoors develop markedly less myopia — daylight slows the lengthening of the eye.

The age guidelines to remember

• Before age 3: no screens. The visual brain develops through real interaction, not in front of a screen.
• 3 to 6 years: less than one hour a day, always supervised, never in the morning before school or in the evening before sleep.
• After age 6: the 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes of screen time, look 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds.
• At any age: 2 hours outdoors a day. It is the most effective measure, validated by studies, to slow myopia.

The signs that should alert you

A child almost never complains of seeing poorly — they don’t know others see better. It’s up to you to observe:

• They move closer to the television or hold the notebook to their face;
• They squint to look into the distance;
• They tilt their head or close one eye to focus;
• Headaches at the end of the day, slipping school results, loss of interest in reading;
• An eye that drifts, even occasionally — to be checked without delay.

Even one of these signs warrants a pediatric eye examination : a problem corrected early means schooling is protected.

Screens in the evening: the real problem is sleep

The blue light from screens in the evening does not “burn” your child’s retina — but it delays falling asleep and degrades sleep, which affects attention in class. Simple rule: no screens in the hour before bedtime, and never a phone in the bedroom at night.

Frequently asked questions

At what age should the first eye check be done?

Screening is recommended at around 9-12 months, then before starting school (3-4 years), even without warning signs. Some problems (amblyopia — “lazy eye”) are only corrected well if caught before age 6.

Do “blue-light” glasses protect?

Their proven benefit is limited. The truly effective measures: limit screen time, take breaks and go outdoors.

My child’s eye sometimes turns, is it serious?

After 4-6 months, an eye that drifts is never “normal” and should be examined quickly: a neglected squint can cause loss of vision in the deviating eye.

Can my child’s myopia be slowed?

Yes — beyond lifestyle, there are now ways to slow it (special lenses, orthokeratology, eye drops depending on the case) to discuss at the assessment.

The right reflex

At the slightest doubt about your child’s sight, an examination at the practice brings clarity in a single consultation. Dr Oulehri Hassan’s practice is located at 1 Rue Abdelkrim Benjelloun, Espace Marina, in Fez.