Eye on Success: Why You Should Make Children’s Eye Tests a Back-to-School Priority

New research has revealed that over half of Kiwi children
aged 16 and under are spending more than 2 hours per day on
screens, contrary to recommendations from the Ministry of
Health who suggests 2 hours should be the limit.

While
screens might not exactly make your child’s eyes square,
digital eye strain can certainly contribute to issues with
vision, such as blurry eyesight, dry eyes, irritation, and
increase the chance of myopia
(short-sightedness).

Myopia, or short sightedness, is
on the rise globally, with the World Health Organisation
estimating that 52 per cent of the global population will
have myopia by 2050. And, there’s an alarming incidence
spike amongst children, with time on digital screens as a
major contributing factor .

The research, commissioned
by Specsavers, indicated that New Zealand parents are not
necessarily aware of the potential impact of digital eye
strain. 90% of parents said they would restrict screentime
if they knew it was detrimental to their children’s
eyesight – a perhaps difficult task considering many
children are using tablets (48%) and mobile phone screens
(59%) for their learning and entertainment.

The
findings also found that over two thirds of parents took
their child in for an eye test when prompted by symptoms,
while a mere 27% said they would take their child in as part
of a routine check or because their child had reached an age
where they thought it was appropriate to do so.

To
ensure every child is set up for success heading into their
school year, optometrists are calling for all parents and
carers to include an eye test on their back-to-school check
list, something that is free at Specsavers for all kids aged
15 and under .

Specsavers Optometrist David Aldridge
says, “Parents often overlook the importance of an eye
test, not only for themselves, but for their kids too. To
detect, correct and manage any issues, we encourage parents
and carers to bring their child in for their first eye test
around the age of 3 or 4, or sooner if you’re concerned
about any issues.”

“With the increasing prevalence
of screens in day-to-day life, our kids have become
particularly susceptible to conditions such as myopia.
Ensuring your kids don’t go untreated is as simple as
making an eye test part of your back-to-school
checklist.”

The research found that 80% of parents
were at least somewhat concerned that the amount of time
their child spent looking at screens could negatively impact
their vision. However, only a quarter of parents had said
they had taken their child in for an eye
test.

“Don’t wait until your child has trouble
focussing, blurred vision or headaches, be proactive in
seeing your optometrists. What many people don’t realise
is that early intervention is key, especially when
amblyopia, commonly known as a lazy eye, is present. We need
the opportunity to see them well before this to give the
child the best chance for their vision to develop
correctly.”

While we may not be able to abolish
screens from our kid’s lives, there are some healthy
habits outside of eye checks and reduced screen time which
can help set up our children for success.

David’s
top tips for digital eye strain:

1. Remind children to
blink. Blinking regularly keeps the surface of your eyes
from drying out.

2. Keep a bottle of water close-by.
Your eyes dry out when you’re dehydrated so making sure
children are drinking plenty of water throughout the day is
important.

3. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. This means,
every 20 minutes remind children 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 and look out at a faraway object to give
tired eyes a break from the screen.

4. Make sure that
during the school week, children spend time playing outside
or stepping away from the screen to do another activity to
give their eyes a break.

To book your appointment or
for more information, go to
https://www.specsavers.co.nz/stores.

1. 3gem, Digital
Eye Strain – NZ, prepared for Specsavers, 4th November
2022. The study was conducted online between the 12th Nov
and 17th Nov 2023 and comprised of a sample size of 1,000
New Zealand parents with children who are 16 years old or
younger

2.
https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-activity-and-sleep/physical-activity/how-much-activity-recommended#:~:text=Spend%20no%20more%20than%202,Sit%20less%2C%20move%20more.

3.
https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/myopia-should-we-treat-it-like-a-disease

4.
Free eye test for kids 15 years and younger applies to
comprehensive eye tests only, normally valued at $60.
Excludes contact lens examinations and visual field
checks.

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