St. Pete Eye Doctor Offers Tips For Protecting Children's Vision

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — In addition to August being back-to-school month for children, it's also National Eye Exam and Children’s Eye Health Month.

Many students are taking online classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, and this can possibly cause overexposure to screens, but there are ways to limit exposure, according to St. Petersburg For Eyes optometrist Dr. Christopher Campbell.

In 2019, Common Sense Media released a report that said on average, 8- to 12-year-olds in the U.S., spent 4 hours and 44 minutes on screen usage each day. And teens averaged 7 hours and 22 minutes. This does not include time spent doing online schoolwork.

Overexposure to screens can alter sleep patterns, increased chances of myopia (nearsightedness), dry eyes, glare and eye fatigue, Campbell told Patch in an email.

Some research Campbell says suggests it leads to damage to the retina leading to macular degeneration later in life.

Cambell said it is very important for parents to protect their children's eyesight with so many children taking virtual school lessons this school year in Pinellas County, and offered these tips:

• Purchase anti-reflective and blue light protection treatments to eyeglasses
• Take frequent breaks from the computer, tablet or phone screen
• Limit screen time
• Blink to prevent dryness
• Opt for polycarbonate lenses, which are favored by parents of young children to prevent shattering.

For children who have returned to school face-to-face Campbell says they will also benefit from the anti-reflective and blue light protecting lens treatments, and shatter-resistant materials like polycarbonate lenses.

Since it's National Eye Exam month, Campbell highlights the importance for every child, including children that don't have blurry vision to get an exam:

Farsightedness can be unrecognized by the patient but cause symptoms such as eye strain and lazy eye. Also, a child’s eyesight can change at any time, often unrealized by the parent or your child. Early detection is key to preventing and correcting vision issues.

Campbell reminds parents that children are not immune from eye diseases. Common eye diseases for school aged children include amblyopia, strabismus (lazy eye), conjunctivitis (pink eye), styes and chalazia.

These diseases can happen if a clogged gland that produces the stye never gets better and scar tissue forms around it, Campbell told Patch in an email.

If you would like to schedule a back-to-school eye exam for your child, contact For Eyes at 727-347-3937. It's located at 2000 66 St N. Crosswinds Shopping Center, and the hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Sunday.