Screen time during pandemic impacted El Paso kids vision

EL PASO, Texas -- An El Paso pediatric ophthalmologist says she’s seeing more kids coming into her practice, giving them stronger vision prescriptions over the last year, adding that screen time is partly to blame.

“Vision is so important and vision screening is important, especially now that the school (has started)," said Dr. Violeta Radenovich, a pediatric ophthalmologist El Paso Children's Hospital. "I recommend parents, if they see any signs to bring the child to the eye specialist."

Some signs to look out for in impaired vision in children are squinting, titling their head to see or winking to see. If their eyes that are crossed, even clumsiness or bad coordination. 

Radenovich recommends no screen time for kids younger than one year. Toddlers two to four years of age about one hour but for kids and teens that are older who have to use screens on a day-to-day basis, her biggest tip, get off and take a break. 

“I always tell the parents the 20/20/20 rule. If a kid is on the computer for more than half an hour, every 20 minutes needs to take a break. Looking at a distance through the window to the door for 20 seconds," she said. "That will relax your eyes and will make will create less eye strain.”

Radenovich said here in El Paso, one and four kids suffer from what's called amblyopia, or lazy eye and a smaller percentage are crossed eyed. 

"I recommend at age three...when they start preschool to go and have a comprehensive eye examination."

Radenovich recommends children look at devices from a distance, getting glasses with blue light lenses, and try to get your kids to put down their devices one hour before bed.

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