Children could suffer from long-term eye problems due to too much screen time

dailystar.co.uk:

Global Myopia Awareness Coalition, an organisation challenging parents to reduce their screen time this Bank Holiday weekend, said: “By 2050, 50% of the global population are expected to have myopia, and we are already experiencing a surge in myopia in children. “Certain activities can contribute to the progression of myopia, such as increased screen-time – and we know that in the school summer holidays, children may spend a lot of their days off watching TV or playing on devices.“To support the future of children’s long-term eye health, we want to encourage parents to get their children taking part in “sight-saving” activities and screen-free swaps this Bank Holiday weekend.“Just 76 extra minutes outside a day can reduce the risk of myopia by 50% – so let’s start now.”The study also found 13% of parents who haven't taken their children to an eye test thought it would be arranged by the school – but vision screenings at school are not considered a substitute for a comprehensive eye examination.And one in ten admitted that eye tests had quite simply never crossed their mind.Yet, of those who have never taken their children to the opticians, more than a third (35%) said their child is displaying at least one symptom of possible eye issues – including being disruptive in school (13%), needing to sit close to a whiteboard (13%), and experiencing headaches (12%).Other symptoms experienced included straining eyes (12%), finding it difficult to read (10%), and sitting too close to the TV (7%).It also emerged more than half (56%) would routinely take their child to a check up with a healthcare professional instead of an eye test.And two in five (42%) are more likely to take their child to a dentist appointment.But the study also.