Why Is This New Vitamin A Must Have for Kids That Use Electronics?

Screen use in kids is no joke, and believe it or not, a lot of kids can benefit from an eye vitamin. That’s right – if your child is looking at an electronic device for more than three hours a day, they’re susceptible to a number of eye issues that can impact their sleep, health, and overall wellness. Thankfully, incorporating vitamins like Eye Mazing into your child’s routine can help.

Is screen time in children really an issue?

The reality is that screen use in kids is on the rise, and your child may be on an electronic device for longer than you think. In fact, children between the ages of 8 and 12 are expected to spend as many as 5.5 hours a day on their devices. As if that wasn’t enough, teens now average around eight hours a day looking at their screens (1). These screen times are significantly longer than they were just a few years ago. But unfortunately, prolonged exposure to blue light can have detrimental effects on someone’s vision, especially children. 

What are the dangers to vision in kids who use electronics?

The danger in electronic use stems from blue light. Our devices emit a highly energized form of light on the visible light spectrum known as blue light. Blue light can be damaging to our eyes with high exposure, even to adults. 

For children in particular, digital devices can cause issues like difficulty sleeping. Blue light can disrupt someone’s circadian rhythms, also known as your sleep-wake cycle, while also suppressing melatonin. Sleep is, of course, crucial to children who are in the midst of their growth and development (2). Being and staying awake at school and during their activities is essential, so it is important to minimize the impact of prolonged electronic use in children.

In addition to sleep disturbances, extensive device use is also known to cause headaches, eye fatigue, and eye strain in children. These can cause further disruptions to a child’s day-to-day functioning and quality of life if not properly addressed.

How do you avoid or reduce eye fatigue or damage from screen use in kids?

Thankfully, there are several ways in which you can minimize eye fatigue and damage from screen use in children. Here are some of our favorites:

• Limit screen time, especially before bed. Of course, the easiest way to prevent blue light damage is to restrict screen time altogether. However, this is especially important before bedtime, when children are most susceptible to light-induced sleep disruption. 

• Protect against blue light. We can’t limit our kids’ screen time 24/7, so when it is time for electronics, use methods that will protect against blue light. Changing the brightness of your child’s screen and allowing for proper lighting can all help avoid eye strain associated with devices.

• Regular eye checkups. Regardless of screen time, children should always be getting regular eye exams performed by an eye professional. These can help to identify eye issues early, so that you can properly intervene if problems are detected. Typically, eye screenings are recommended at six months, three years, prior to first grade, and then every other year thereafter (3).

• Proper nutrition. Many don’t understand how important nutrition is to eye health, specifically in children. A nutritious diet filled with vitamins A, C, E, and omega-3 fatty acids is essential to healthy eyes and may be helpful in protecting against blue light. If you feel that your child isn’t getting enough of these vitamins and nutrients in their diet, you may want to consider an eye vitamin.

What supplements might help kids who use electronics?
As mentioned, for children who use electronics a lot, certain vitamins and minerals are going to be important to maintaining eye health. Some of these include:

• Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110. The Eye Mazing gummy contains Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110, a lactic acid bacterium that has been shown clinically to support eye health and minimize eye fatigue. In fact, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled studies show that Eyemuse reduced eye discomfort, waist and shoulder stiffness, and eye fatigue (4).

• Lutein and zeaxanthin. Free radicals are harmful substances that damage cells, specifically in the eye, due to blue light, sunlight, and aging. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that protect against free radicals in the body. Lutein and zeaxanthin are also important to visual acuity, which affects the sharpness with which things appear (5).

• Vitamin A (beta carotene). Vitamin A is important for seeing pigment as well as nourishing parts of the eye. As many as 250,000 to 500,00 children develop blindness annually due to vitamin A deficiency (6).

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Several studies have indicated that vitamin C intake is associated with a lower risk of developing cataracts (7).

• Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with several eye conditions, including macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, and cataracts. Thus, adequate vitamin D intake is important for healthy eyes (8).

• Zinc. Zinc supports vitamin A in creating a pigment known as melanin, which is protective to the eye. It is also shown to delay the progression of age-related macular degeneration (9).

• Vitamin E. Vitamin E is another known potent antioxidant. As such, it may play a protective role against oxidative damage in the eye (10).

Now – that’s a lot of vitamins and minerals to get into one’s diet. Thankfully, certain eye vitamins for kids are available that contain all of these ingredients. With just a single supplement, you can combat some of the dangers of screen use in kids.

The Eye Mazing Gummy Everyday Eye Vitamin, for example, contains all of the above nutrients. Its formulation has research-backed clinical ingredients, making it a great blue light reduction aid for children who spend a lot of time on their devices.

Interested? Check out the [EyeMazing Everyday Eye Vitamin from Zen Nutrients] here.

References

1. https://health.choc.org/the-effects-of-screen-time-on-children-the-latest-research-parents-should-know/

2. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep

3. https://www.napergrove.com/about-us/news/blog/2024/02/27/most-important-vitamins-for-your-children's-eye-health

4. https://eyemusehealth.com/science

5. https://lutemax.com/benefits/

6. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/vitamin-deficiency#:~:text=Vitamin%20A%20plays%20an%20important,pigments%2C%20leading%20to%20night%20blindness.

7. https://eyesurgerycenteretn.com/news/vitamin-c-the-powerhouseofeyehealth

8. https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/macular-degeneration-vitamin-d#vitamins-and-eye-health

9. https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/zinc-vision