ArcaMax

Young and old, Americans average 7 hours and 3 minutes a day looking at Internet-connected screens! And kids ages 8 to 12 log around five and a half hours every day accessing entertainment on screened devices.

Most people are blind to the fact that youngsters are doing more than damaging their muscles, blunting cognitive growth and fueling their chances of developing depression and anxiety by being glued to digital screens. They're also risking premature and severe nearsightedness (AKA myopia) -- making the outside world a big blur.

A review in JAMA Open Network looked at 45 studies of more than 335,000 kids ages 5 to 13 and found that every hour a day spent staring at a screen was associated with a 21% increased risk of developing nearsightedness. If kids spend four hours or more, maximum damage is done.

Why does that matter? Children with myopia are at risk of earlier development of cataracts, are more likely to experience retinal detachment and are three times more likely to develop glaucoma.

Banning phones in school and limiting time on screens for anything but homework can help reduce the risks. There's also a study that shows multifocal contact lenses slow the progression of kids' myopia. So, ask your eye doctor about that option, too. And for activities that get all of you off screens, check out the full-body workout for your kids and you in our book "YOU Raising Your Child." And for tips on maintaining healthy eyes, check out "Top Tips for Eye Health" iHerb.com/blog.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.