As part of a new screen amnesty launching during National Eye Health Week (23-29 September 2024), we’re urging teens to press pause on their mobiles and digital devices to give their eyes a break.
Screens and Your Eye Health
Long periods spent looking at smart phones and other electronic devices has been linked to a number of eye issues, including eye strain, dry eye disease, and even, short-sightedness (myopia)[1]. So, with teens now spending up to nine hours a day on screens[2], it’s no surprise that more and more young people are experiencing problems with their vision and eye health.
Common symptoms caused by excessive screen use include: sore, irritated, gritty eyes, watery eyes, blurred vision, headaches, difficulty concentrating and trouble sleeping.
Eye Workout
Limiting screen time allows your tear film to refresh and gives the muscles in your eyes a chance to relax. Staring at a screen for too long can become a gruelling workout for your eyes – a bit like trying to hold a plank position!
Evening Amnesty
To give your eyes a break and recover from the effects of prolonged screen use we’re inviting teens to ‘go offline overnight’ and switch tech off at 20:20 (that’s 8:20pm) every evening.
Show Your Support
Schools, youth groups and individuals can show their support for this important eye health initiative by making a digital promise to be responsible screen users.
Everyone making the digital promise to join the screen amnesty receives a badge that can be shared on social media, displayed on websites, embedded in email signatures or used to promote your participation in newsletters or other promotional materials.
Be Screen Smart
As well as going offline overnight, here are seven more simple tips on how to be screen smart and help keep your eyes and vision healthy:
- Remember to wear any eye wear prescribed for screen use.
- Hold phones and digital devices at least 30cms away from your face.
- Minimise any glare or reflections and keep your screen clean.
- Consciously blink. Your blink rate falls by as much as 60 per cent when staring at a screen.
- Stay hydrated, drink plenty of fluids such as water, cordial and fruit juice.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Look away from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Touch Grass! Balance screen time by spending 2 or more hours a day outdoors.
And, don’t forget to have regular eye tests, once every two years unless advised otherwise by your optometrist, to ensure any eye problems are detected and treated early.
Make a digital promise to limit screen time and join the 20:20 screen amnesty here
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1542012423001520#bbib11
[2] 11- 14 year-olds. https://www.independent.co.uk/advisor/vpn/screen-time-statistics
