Reading in low light is not good for children's eyes?

This is an automatically translated article.

1. Effects of reading books with insufficient light on children

According to most eye doctors, reading children without enough light for a long time probably won't hurt, but in the long run this can have a harmful effect on eye health. Vision tends to decline over time for most children, and it's important to note that if your child has a family history of eye problems, this is also one of the big factors that tend to determine the size of your vision. determine and affect children's eye health. However, while reading in low light will not reduce vision, it can lead to eye strain.
Just like any muscle in the body, the eyes can become weak from overwork. Visually difficult tasks, such as reading in dim light, cause the eyes to become more tired than usual. Some symptoms of eye strain include eye strain, headache, itchy eyes, blurred vision, and increased sensitivity to light.

If your child is suffering from eye strain from reading in the dark, it's time to see why he or she chooses to read in such low light. If it's simply because your child doesn't feel like turning on the light, then maybe he should go ahead and take a few more steps afterward to turn on his or her own light. If it's unavoidable, such as sensitivity to light, there are a few things your child can do to minimize the effects of eye strain.
When spending a long time reading something, be sure to instruct your child to blink. Because, blinking produces tears that help moisten and refresh the eyes. Try to blink often when reading to keep your eyes from drying out.
If your child spends most of the day staring at a computer screen or other digital device, try following the 20/20/20 rule - every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look into something 2(6m) away. Too much time spent on any digital device can cause eye strain. So try to take regular breaks when using computers and smartphones. An easy way to cut back on staring at a screen is to get up from your desk once an hour and do something that doesn't involve looking at your computer.
Another way to combat eye strain is to improve the flexibility of the eye muscles. Some flexibility exercises include creating a figure eight with your eyes, moving your eyes up and down and side to side in an open space, and massaging the muscles around your eyes.

2. How to read books without harming children's eyes

Read books with full light When children read books with adequate light, it will limit the condition that children's eyes quickly get tired or strained. If you read a book in low light, it may damage your eyes in the future, reduce your vision, and even cause your crystals to swell to focus light. Moreover, it can cause eye defects and the first step is to cause myopia in children.

Don't read books on the go Some people often have the habit of taking advantage of their reading time while on the go or while waiting for the car... But this method should not be applied because it is not good for the eyes. Vibrating movements can cause the eyes and books to change, fluctuate with the distance between the eyes and the book. Moreover, it makes the light change continuously. The negative direction of this activity is that it will make the optic nerve fatigue, causing strain on the eyes. For a long time, it is possible to have nearsightedness or other defects of the eyes.
Do not read for too long When reading for hours, it will make the eyes work for a long time, causing increased eye pressure, increased intraocular pressure, and incessant relaxation of inner and outer eye muscles.
Do not read books under strong light Light sources that are too strong or too weak will affect the health of children. Because when reading books with too strong light intensity, after a short time will feel dizzy. That's because the black area made up of the retina is strongly stimulated with intense light for a long time. Regularly performing this activity will cause damage to the retina, macular, even vision impairment.
The right distance for reading The ideal distance for reading is from the bend of the thumb to the elbow. And the average of this distance will be between 35 - 40cm. Reading a book much closer than this distance will increase the acuity of the eye and may also increase myopia.

3. Some points to note

For the long term, reading in the dark won't make things worse (or better). If you are concerned about preserving your eyesight, develop good eye-care habits: quit smoking if needed, eat a nutritious diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, get rid of contact lenses at night, wear sunglasses and hat on sunny days. These healthy living habits may also reduce your risk of macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
That said, providing just the right amount of light can be in the best interest of reading. In addition to reducing headaches and eye strain, it is even possible to make reading faster and finish sooner simply by lighting a lamp so that there is just enough light to read a book.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading medical doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination and consultation services. comprehensive and professional medical consultation and treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.
If you have a need for consultation and examination at Vinmec Hospitals under the nationwide health system, please book an appointment on the website for service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference sources: babycenter.com, webmd.com, essilorusa.com

See more:
Is it possible to definitively treat crossed eyes? What's wrong with the small white item in the belly of the eye? What's wrong with recurrent eye inflammation?