Erica L. Oltra, M.D.

Myopia and Remote Learning

Many of our children are spending more time in front of a computer, phone, tablet or book instead of outside or in a classroom.

There is mounting evidence that sustained convergence effort during reading and “screen time” activities can place a child at higher risk for the onset of myopia (nearsightedness) and can contribute to worsening of myopia progression.

Preliminary data suggests that a simple maneuver based on the “20/20/20 rule” can mitigate the onset and progression of nearsightedness. When engaged in near vision activities, your child should pause every 20 minutes, and either close their eyes or gaze at a distant object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds before resuming the near vision task.

There are other strategies to diminish myopic progression depending upon your child’s age, family history, degree of myopia, and recent rate of progression. These strategies can best be reviewed during your child’s visit with a pediatric ophthalmologist.