Decreased visual acuity observed in children

Today, children tend to spend many hours in front of a screen, be it television, smartphones, or videogames. A large American study has recently revealed that children aged between 3 and 10 tend to exhibit declining visual acuity, with 34% suffering from actual vision problems.

According to the study’s authors, among children aged between 3 and 10, 63% are exposed to
screens for 1 to 2 hours a day, whereas 23% are exposed for 3 to 4 hours, and 8% for 5 hours or
more. Only 6% of children aged between 3 and 10 were exposed to screens for less than 1 hour a
day.

In their conclusions, the experts advise parents and guardians to reduce young children’s screen time
as much as possible in an effort to protect their visual acuity and eye health. A sound first step would
be to banish smartphones from children’s bedrooms and to switch off the television at least 2 hours
before bedtime.