Healthy visual hygiene habits will help to reduce near visual stress on the eyes. Excess near stress can lead to refractive maladaptation’s like myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism, as well as eye strain and fatigue. These recommendations are especially important with children and adolescents as the eyes continue to grow until our early 20’s. Here are our top six visual hygiene recommendations for all patients.
The Harmon Distance
Use the “Harmon Distance” when reading, writing and doing other near work. This is especially important with the use of phones and tablets. Near work should be no closer than the distance between the elbow and the end of your fist. When held correctly, the elbow will make a 90-degree angle.
Time Outdoors
The recommendation for children is to spend 2 hours per day outdoors. Time outdoors has been shown to be protective against the presentation and progress of nearsightedness, and is linked to better general health and wellness.
Good Lighting
Use good illumination on any near work as well as have good room lighting. Dim lighting, such as reading or using a phone in a dark room, blunts accommodation (eye focusing) and leads to a decreased ability to handle near stress.
Look Straight
As much as possible, strive to point your nose at your material as well as place the material on your midline. There are six muscles around each eye, and if your eyes are chronically in an asymmetric posture, such as reading on the same side in bed or always tilting your head to one side when writing, then a structural change can develop. The most common asymmetries that can develop are astigmatism and anisometropia (a difference in refractive power between the two eyes).
Follow the Canadian Association of Optometrists recommendations for screen time for children:
Age 0-2 - no screen time, with the possible exception of live video chatting - due to its potential for social development.
Age 2-5 - no more than one hour per day of age appropriate, and supervised - viewing.
Age 5-9 - no more than one hour per day of handheld screen devices, and no more than two hours of total screen use per day.
Age 5-18 - Ideally, no more than two hours per day of recreational screen time. Individual screen time plans should be based on development and needs.
The 20/20/20 Rule
When reading, writing, crafting, or using a screen (phone, tablet, computer, etc), take a break every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds, and look out more than 20 feet away. It is most ideal to look out a window at a distance and let your eyes fully relax. This helps give your eye muscles a break as well as your postural muscles.