How is the screen time ‘closing’ ‘vision’ of children and causing behavior issues

On average, children spend a seven to eight hours a day on screens, and one expert is warning that we are not seeing the full look of these devastating devices.

“The screen time has become the new pandemia and is destroying all our eyes and brains,” the post tells Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, Board certified optometrist.

He noted that in addition to cognitive, social and emotional development, screen time adversely affects vision development – and can be partly to blame for increasing cases of behavior issues.

“We get inside and bring down our periphery and take this vision of the tunnel, and then we get the dopamine release in our brain, and it makes us want to go back for more and more,” Appelbaum said.

So yes, screens are addictive-but the problem it is determined is that they can also affect the still developed eyes of children. And when children have functional vision problems, the doctor said, symptoms can look very much like ADHD.

What are the screens doing in the eyes of the children?

The visual skills needed for screen engagement are very different from those needed to get involved in a three-dimensional space, he explained.

“The vision is intended to drive our movement, not to stay in these cars throughout the day,” he said. “We have to maintain that flexibility. When we are on screens for a long time, our leg muscles – the inner muscles behind the eyes that make things clear – are literally closed and under tension.”

According to Appelbaum, these internal muscles are not designed to work so hard for an extended period of time, and by making them holding that load leads to uninterrupted visual systems and non -flexible visual thinking.

“Children do not have brain and vision development to handle on the screen,” he said.

“This will be a child who has ants in their pants or listening to the teacher with their ears than with their eyes.”

Dr Bryce Appelbaum

“It is the creation of a world of children with a visual system that is closed, causing proximity, mental health and issues of depth perception, and poor interpersonal connection because we are stuck in these 2D devices, inch by our face, blsting all this high -power light on us.”

Previous research published in Jama Pediatrics has shown that children should be banned from screen time to age 3, as they can lead to developmental delays.

But why would the problems of visiting behavior lead?

Researchers at Drexel University found that babies and young children who are allowed screen time are more likely to exhibit atypical sensory behaviors associated with neuro-development disorders such as autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Appelbaum claims that excessive screen time compromises the development of functional vision, creating a scenario where time does not work together to support coordination or concentration.

Convergence insufficiency-an eye coordination problem that makes it difficult for the eyes to focus on nearby objects such as books or computer screen-is usually diagnosed as added or similar behaviors.

“Someone who can make their eyes show in the same direction – great. But after 30 seconds, if they have this fragile coordination, it will be a child who has ants in their pants or listening to the teacher with their ears than with their eyes,” he said.

A 2024 report from centers for disease control and prevention centers revealed a shocking increase in ADHD diagnoses among American children.

In contrast to the screen-based learning that became ubiquitous during Covid-19 blocking, old school educational practices such as copying from the blackboard require visual flexibility to go close to far, activating the inner and external eye muscles to strengthen and work synergistic.

“Reading print requires different eye movements throughout the site that is more in a sequence, method and organized than a screen. With a screen, you can see your eyes all over, get a lot of information, but you do not control the movement of eyes needed for other tasks,” he said.

How can parents protect their children’s visual health and behavior?

The number one priority is the restriction of screen time. A 2024 study found that reduced daily time helped children better elaborate on their emotions and improve their social interactions.

Another useful strategy is to encourage physical activity, ignition and disruption of vision during periods of screen use.

“Eyes are a muscle; if you are going to squeeze the fists for an extended period of time, after a few seconds, your hands start to hurt. But if you let go and go back and let go and go back, you release that tension.”

Appelbaum noted that digital performance lenses can be an eye support support system as they make it easier for the brain to enter and use vision.

“If you train the brain eye connection and do it in order to have strong tracking, concentration, convergence and visual processing, then the screens are less terrible and they will not affect development and life as they would do differently.”

Appelbaum claims that incorporating boundaries and strategies to protect eyes guarantees future success.

“You can develop the right visual foundation to flower in this digital world. Simply requires a lot of brain and vision training.”