In response to increased virtual and screen-based activities during the coronavirus pandemic, ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois have launched a new awareness campaign, Take a Screen Time Out. All of us, including children, are spending as much as 12 hours a day in front of a digital screen. Find out more at Prevent Blindness.
You can find the Screen Time-Out campaign on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Please share the posts with families and your networks. Find social media images at Eye Health Infographics – Prevent Blindness.
Tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology include:
- Use artificial tears to refresh eyes when they feel dry.
- Consider using a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
- Wear prescribed computer eyeglasses that allow eyes to focus specifically at computer screen distance (intermediate distance, which is about 20 to 26 inches away from the face).
- Adjust screen brightness to match the level of light in the room.
- Increase the contrast on the screen to reduce eye strain.
- Use a glare screen on the device.
- Sit about 25 inches from the screen and adjust the screen height to look slightly downward.
For tips from a college student, see this blog from the School-Based Health Alliance.
Another great resource is this video from Child Trends on supporting children’s mental health during Covid-19. In a recent video, Child Trends mental health expert Jessica Dym Bartlett describes 10 ways parents and caregivers can support children’s emotional well-being during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
