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We hope that we can answer your questions to help you in the care of your eyes. This page is not intended to subsitute for visits to your eye care specialist, but merely serves as a complementary service. If you have any unanswered questions after reading this material, please call your ophthalmologist.

   

Parents often worry whether or not watching television can harm their children's eyes, especially if they are glued to the screen for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that even if someone sits less than a few feet away from a television set for up to 16 hours continuously, no permanent damage will result! The only effects that excessive TV watching may have on your child's eyes (or your own eyes for that matter) is mild eyestrain or fatigue, which is only temporary and will disappear after a good night's rest. The following symptoms may alert you to the possibility of underlying eye problems: 1: If your child always sits very close to the television, or holds books close to his eyes when reading, he might be nearsighted, and you should take him to an eye specialist for a routine eye examination. 2: If your child complains of extreme light sensitivity when he is watching TV, or rubs his eyes, or squints when looking into the light, he may be suffering from allergic conjunctivitis and should be seen by an ophthalmologist. 3: If you notice that your child tilts his head sideways, or tends to turn his head to one side while watching TV, he may have a latent eye muscle imbalance or squint, and should be seen by an ophthalmologist. To avoid eyestrain with normal TV viewing, the following precautions should be observed:   1: Never watch TV in a completely darkened room. The best lighting conditions consist of a back light and dim general light in the room. 2: A comfortable viewing distance is from 6 to 10 feet from the screen. Sitting too close to the screen might cause undue eyestrain. 3: The TV screen should be approximately the same height as your head. If it is too high, it may strain your neck muscles and cause headaches. A rare occurrence is a form of epilepsy attack or seizure which can be precipitated by the flickering of the TV screen. Low background incandescent lighting in the room usually prevents this from occurring even in susceptible individuals, but should this ever occur to anyone in your family, your family physician should be contacted immediately.

  If you have any further questions regarding television and your eyes, please consult your eye specialist.