Are Screens Hurting Your Child’s Eyes? What the Science Says

Along with the many questions that come with today’s kids and screen use, one question parents frequently ask is: Are digital devices damaging my child’s eyesight? According to Adam J. Peiffer, OD, MS, a pediatric optometrist at University Hospitals, that answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.

Screens Aren’t a Problem – Directly

“There is no scientific evidence to date that suggests blue light exposure from a digital device is more harmful to eyesight than asking our children to pick up a textbook,” Dr. Peiffer explains. “The digital device itself is not directly harming the eye’s anatomy.”

Since no data indicate that screens directly damage eye structures the way many parents worry they do, the American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology doesn’t outline specific limitations on screen time for eye health. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

• Avoiding screen time for children under 18 months (unless video chatting).
• Limiting screen time in preschool children to one hour per day of high-quality programming.
• Setting consistent screen limits for school-age children.

These recommendations reflect the impact of screens on eye health, which is more complex than simply blue light exposure.

The Real Problem: Screens & Eye Behavior

While screens themselves aren’t proven to be more harmful than other close-range activities, they can increase the risk of myopia, or nearsightedness – and that matters for long-term eye health.

“With any near-range activity – whether you’re reading a book, coloring or using a digital device – the eye has to work harder to focus,” Dr. Peiffer notes. The environment in which you perform the activity also matters: sitting in a darker room with a bright screen trains the eye to adapt to that environment. Over time, this can increase your likelihood of becoming nearsighted.

This can lead to more problems, especially for children. “Once you start that cascade and become nearsighted, the risk of worsening nearsightedness continues exponentially, especially during the early developmental years,” Dr. Peiffer explains. By ages 8-12, when hormones shift and the eye grows rapidly, this effect becomes even more pronounced.

Nearsightedness in childhood can also come with consequences later. Children who become myopic face higher risks for retinal tears and detachments, earlier-onset cataracts and glaucoma as adults. Recent research has shown that vision loss in adults can also increase the risk of developing dementia.

Dr. Peiffer says there are additional ripple effects from frequent device use. Poor sleep from evening screen use affects attention and mental clarity. Sedentary screen time contributes to obesity. And the strain from intense near work without breaks can discourage kids from engaging in the educational activities they need for school success.

“The activity you’re performing at a close distance is as important as the mechanism providing it,” Dr. Peiffer says. “Whether it’s a book or a digital device, it’s all near work. We need to take breaks, refocus our eyes on far-away objects and give our eyes some rest.”

What’s a Parent to Do?

If screens themselves aren’t directly to blame for eye problems, how can parents create guardrails for safer device use?

Dr. Peiffer shares some simple, easy-to-implement tips:

• The 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes of near work – whether that’s on a screen or in a book – take a break and focus your eyes 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives the eye’s focusing muscles a chance to relax.
• Get outside. Research shows that an additional 14 hours of outdoor time per week can delay the onset of nearsightedness, even in children who are genetically predisposed to myopia. “The eye has an evolutionary drive to interact with things that are far away,” Dr. Peiffer says. “When children spend ample time outdoors, the light exposure signals to the eye that distance vision is important.”
• Avoid dark rooms. When indoors, children and adults alike should avoid the worst-case scenario: a dark room with a bright screen. Use good room lighting and allow natural light in when possible. If screen time happens in low light, use the device’s dark mode or night mode features. Avoid screens within an hour of bedtime, as blue light can disrupt sleep cycles.
• Take breaks – and blinks. When kids are doing “silent” near work, where they passively scroll or play games – they naturally blink less, leading to dry eyes and eye strain. Interactive screen use like video calls, where conversation happens, increases the rate of blinking and is better for eye health. So build in breaks when passive screen time is the focus.

Routine Vision Screening: What It May Be Missing

When it comes to assessing a child’s eye health, basic vision screenings – typically performed at school and by a pediatrician as part of a child’s annual physical – are not the same as comprehensive eye exams. While as many as one in four preschool-age children need glasses, about 75 percent of children who fail vision screenings at the pediatrician’s office or at school never actually see an eye care provider.

“Screenings look for refractive errors that put children at risk for ‘lazy eye’ or amblyopia,” Dr. Peiffer explains. “But they are not a replacement for comprehensive eye exams with a trained eye care provider.”

Official recommendations call for comprehensive eye exams at 12-18 months, age 3 and age 5, then annually throughout elementary school. These exams can catch problems that routine screenings miss and help identify children at risk for myopia progression.

“Ultimately, children’s screen use is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to lifelong eye health,” says Dr. Peiffer. “If we can determine what is best for each child individually – whether that’s behavioral changes, outdoor time or even emerging myopia management strategies – we can help families prevent or delay nearsightedness,” Dr. Peiffer says.

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Whether you’re concerned about screen time, your child failed a school vision screening or you want to establish a baseline, University Hospitals offers comprehensive pediatric eye exams with optometrists and ophthalmologists trained in children’s vision development.