Children’s CVS and care

CVS refers to computer vision syndrome. Most children played outside twenty years ago, which has been profoundly changed by the invention and spread of computer. It is estimated that 90% of school-age children and 54 million children use computer to do homework, talk online with friends and play games at an average of one to three hours everyday.

Many studies have reported that frequent computer use may cause high rate of early myopia. The University of California at Berkeley School of Optometry reveals that 25% to 30% computer-using children wear corrective glasses. Similar reports also show that myopia incidence has significantly increased in Taiwan and Singapore.

Computer screen focus can easily bring eyestrain and other vision problems to children, because their motor skills have not well developed. So that parents should always monitor the time their children spends at a computer.

Children are less self-aware than adults so that they may spend continuous several hours at computer with few breaks. Since children are more adaptive, they can not realize their problematic vision. Another reason for children’s vision problems related to computer is the design of computer workstations, which are primarily arranged for adults. Computer screens are designed for user to view them downward, at a 15-degree angle, which is beyond children’s height.

The public health problem named computer vision syndrome (CVS) has close relationships to children’s excess use of computer with their immature eyes. There are many things that can be done for our children. Computer workstations should be arranged to meet children’s needs and the vision distance between the children’s eyes and the monitor should be set in 18 to 28 inches. Parents should arrange a complete eye exam for children before entering the school by a computer vision specialist.