With the winter months upon us, children may spend more time indoors and on their video games. However, too much time focusing on a screen can strain your child’s eyes. Here are a few tips to ensure your child is safely enjoying their video games:

• Balance video game time with plenty of creative, outdoor and quiet play.
• Keep their screen free of fingerprints and dust, as both can reduce vision clarity.
• Discourage your child from playing in a dark room. The contrast from a dark room to a bright screen is too much for the eyes.
• Practice the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, encourage your child to take a 20 second break and to focus their eyes on something at least 20 feet away.
• Remind them to blink.
• Encourage your child to sit away from the screen.

If your child persists on playing video games from a short distance, schedule an eye examination with an optometrist. This may be a sign of nearsightedness (myopic).

For more information visit the Ontario Association of Optometrists’ website: www.optom.on.ca

Adapted information based on materials developed by the Ontario Association of Optometrists.