Good news! There is just 1 month left until the release of the mobile version of our Blink application. It is vital for all users of modern gadgets, especially children and adolescents.
The main function of the application is to remind the owner that “stuck” on the screen that it is time to blink. Why is it so important? What will happen if you forget about timely blinking? We will tell you about these in the article below.
Andreeva Evgeniya Alexandrovna
Ophthalmologist for adults and children.
Work experience – since 2015,
“Ophthalmological Center of Doctor Kurbanov”
Sight is one of the most important senses available to humans. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in maintaining a clear vision. It is especially important to prevent the deterioration of vision in teenagers.
Puberty is marked by many changes in the body, increased loads due to the active growth phase. The modern rhythm of life makes this period even more difficult.
Therefore, it is quite essential to rapidly notice if the vision of the child begins to deteriorate and to take comprehensive measures to stop this regression.
How to identify when a vision of a teenager is starting to lose?
There is no exact self-diagnosis of vision. It is a fact that only professional ophthalmologists can detect a blurred vision. Most often, even with a 10 percent vision, a child does not differ in behavior from peers with perfect eyesight.
There are, however, several factors that can be classified as early signs of visual impairment in adolescence.
Strabismus of any type. If the setting of the eye has changed, even slightly, this is already a significant reason to see a doctor.
Too close position of a book or a gadget: if your teenager used to read at arm’s length, and now holds the books or phone much closer you should start worrying. If he initially reads or plays this way, be sure to correct this habit. The optimal distance to the text or picture should not be less than 30 centimeters.
The size changes of the pupils or eyes are also a reason to see a doctor.
Also, an alarming symptom is the suppression of diplopia in children. If a child sees one eye better than the other, it may cover the less watchful eye when playing or reading. Similarly, you can note changes in behavior: when watching a video, playing games, or reading, a teenager turns to the screen or book with one side of his face, it means that he sees better with this eye. So it is time to diagnose visual impairment.
The best way to diagnose eyes and its disease is to get regular visits to an ophthalmologist. Only a qualified specialist will be able to say for sure whether the teenagers’ vision has deteriorated, or whether this is a normal course of puberty.
The fact is that a child’s vision at birth is not 100 percent. As the eye grows, the vision from the farsightedness spectrum gradually returns to normal, and then, due to many factors, myopia can develop.
The standard age to which the eye develops is 16. So, the correct diagnosis should take into account the age factors during puberty is very important.
What affects visual impairment during adolescence?
All the reasons why the norms of vision in children are violated can be conditionally divided into internal (congenital) and external.
Internal reasons include:
Genetic predisposition: According to statistics, the chances of acquiring astigmatism or myopia in adolescence increase if the parents of the child (both or one of them) have a history of these diseases.
Premature birth: Babies born before 38 weeks often have eye problems. Moreover, according to statistics, this situation is observed in approximately 1/3 of premature babies.
Congenital pathologies and diseases of the eye are also the reason that the vision of a teenager may become worse.
But if congenital factors are usually not so common, then external causes have become especially common today. And these include:
Gadgets, and a long-term use of them. Doctors have been talking for a long time about the problem of addiction from mobile and computer devices. You should still pay attention to the amount of time that the child spends behind the screen.
Heavy TV viewing: Although modern children are much less addicted to blue screens, and more often spend time on smartphones and laptops. This factor still holds the lead as regards the causes of visual impairment in teens.
Too much pressure on the eyes: if your child spends the bulk of his free time doing lessons, this can lead to the development of myopia or astigmatism.
Poor posture and lack of physical activity also lead to visual impairment.
Insufficient lighting or constant spending time in a room with an artificial light source: Sunlight and natural light is important for saving eyesight.
Improper diet: a lack of vitamins and minerals can cause visual impairment.
If you notice that the vision of your child has become worse, try to analyze the presence of these negative factors in the daily lifestyle of a teenager and avoid them whenever possible.
Major visual impairments in teenagers
Strabismus is a disorder visible to everyone. With this problem, the correct focus is “tuned” in only one eye, and the visual line of another one is turned down from the considered object. In this situation, the squinting eye does not experience stress, the healthy eye takes over all of it, and naturally, vision in both eyes falls.
Astigmatism is a disease in which two focus points are formed in one eye at once, and both of them are not correct. As a result, the teenager suffers from pain in the eyes, gets tired quickly, and has headaches.
Concentration Disorders: The reason a child does not see well is the inability to concentrate on an object. And this problem is gradually becoming one of the most common visual impairments in teenagers.
Myopia, or in other words – the inability to consider the objects located a meter or more from the eyes, is another disease that is becoming “younger” every year.
The opposite state is farsightedness. It is characterized by the inability to see objects at a close distance, while the child sees everything that is located more than one meter from the eyes.
How to save the eyesight of a teenager?
The best way to save eyesight is eye prevention for children. It is an integrated approach, which implies a complete revision of the daily routine, nutrition, a harmonious combination of rest, and stress on the eyes.
First of all, it is worth eliminating all external causes due to which vision can become worse.
- Reduce school workloads: long-term lessons, reading.
- Control and limit the time of TV watching.
- Try to explain to your teen the importance of proper sleep and wakefulness.
- Add more vegetables, vitamins, and minerals in the diet that are useful for the eyes (especially blueberries, carrots, cottage cheese, oily ocean fish).
- Harmonize the daily routine so that your teenager can spend time exercising and not just studying.
- Fresh air and sunlight are also useful for the eyes
- Choose the right workplace for your child: inappropriate posture is a consequence of an improperly organized workplace. Remember that poor posture is one of the important factors in the deterioration of vision.
Of course, an important part of the complex of actions to preserve the eyesight of a student is the correct use of gadgets.
Gadgets: how to make them safe for the eyes?
If your child is a fan of games, apps, or videos on a smartphone, the fight against time limits for a gadget, can be failed. It can be difficult to convince stubborn teenagers. But you can give your child a couple of practical tips on how to play on the phone and not spoil the eyesight.
Tell him how important it is to take the correct body position. That is true that a hunched back, a stiff neck, and arms clearly will not bring success in a game or communication.
Suggest using sparing screen settings: too high brightness or small print can cause myopia.
The distance from the gadget to the eyes is essential. Try to convince your teen that 30 cm is a great distance from the eyes to the screen.
It is essential to change the activity! It is essential to take regular breaks to rest your eyes when playing games or working on the computer.
And one more essential detail: a teenager forgets to blink after prolonged “sticking” to the smartphone screen. Because of this, the mucous membrane and cornea dry out, and the eyes quickly get tired and start to hurt. It is worth downloading an application that will remind a teenager that it would be nice to blink. It will distract from the screen and remember to take a break at the same time.
Prevention is not a panacea, but with its help, you can avoid the development of visual impairment in a teenager or stop a process that has already begun.
It will also be interesting: The impact of modern technology on eye health.