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Digital eye strain in kids

Our high-tech world is affecting our children’s eye health in a massive way. 36% of children are exposed to two hours of digital media each day. As a responsible parent, you need to take immediate and deliberate action to maintain your child’s overall health.

More than half of children experience symptoms of digital eye strain. After prolonged exposure to screens and other devices – all which sit close to the eye – the eye’s auto-focus system (known as “accommodation”) becomes stiff and locked in place. Now, distant objects will appear blurry, and the eyes will feel strained when refocusing on distant objects. This excessive strain on the eyes will manifest itself in various forms, such as:

• Headaches – especially common in the temple or upper neck area.

• Dry , itchy eyes – while staring we blink less, and this dries out our eyes and causes them to itch.

• Fatigue and malaise – poor vision causes squinting and bad posture, tiring the muscles around the eyes and face, straining the body and reducing natural energy levels.

Here at SPIN, we offer state of the art protection against digital eye strain and blue light exposure with ZEISS® Blue Protect. Available for all kid’s glasses frames, with or without a prescription (you can always ask for “plano” lenses). ZEISS® Blue Protect has been thoroughly researched to block the harmful effects of blue light in children and adults. Ideal for:

• Students (reading and writing on screens)

•  PC/console gaming

• General indoor protection and comfort

• Working around bright fluorescent or LED lights

• Watching widescreen HD television/movies

 

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Should I get Polycarbonate or Trivex for my kid’s glasses?

Trivex and Polycarbonate lenses are the two best choices for your child’s eyeglasses frames, sunglasses, and protective sports eyewear. In most cases, there is no wrong choice here. Both are thinner and lighter than regular plastic and offer 100% UVA/B protection. They’re also up to 10 times more impact resistant than regular plastic or glass (caution: not use regular plastic or glass for children’s eyewear!).

While they’re strong and light, the surface of these materials is soft and prone to scratching. We recommend you invest in a scratch-resistant coating to prevent such scratches on both materials. Today’s scratch-resistant coatings are very good and can greatly extend the life of your lenses. Some great choices we provide for your children’s eyewear lenses would be ZEISS® DuraVision Platinum, or the synchrony® HMCX.

So what’s the difference? Well, Trivex offers greater clarity and it’s about 10% lighter than polycarbonate. However, polycarbonate is 10% thinner than Trivex. Both lenses have comparable impact resistance and offer 100% UVA/B protection.

Our A.B.O. licensed opticians will always advise you individually on the best choice between Trivex or Polycarbonate for your kid’s eyewear lenses. Our advise will be based on your child’s prescription, frame choice, and lifestyle.