Optician India

Welcome to question of the day #263

Some of my patients ask me if there is any harm done to their children’s eyes or vision from digital screen time. What should I tell them?

Some studies have shown a link between screen time and dry eye and myopia.

One study that caught my eye recently further investigated the link between screen time and dry eye.

The researchers studied 172 children aged between six and 17-years-old.

They looked for meibomian gland atrophy (a gradual decline in effectiveness due to underuse or neglect) using meibography which is an imaging technique for directly visualising the form, shape, and structure of meibomian glands.

What they found was that 86% of those children with meibomian gland atrophy had a daily screen time of four hours. They also found that 50% of those children with meibomian gland atrophy had a daily screen time of eight hours or more.

They suggested that reduced blink rates were the cause of the meibomian gland atrophy. They advised warm compresses and blinking exercises to offset this damage.

My suggestion is less complex. Parents should lead by example. Reduce screen time.