STAY HOME | KEEP LEARNING
In this pandemic era, online education is the path ahead for our children. All of us ponder will my child get an eye strain/spectacle number due to it? How can I keep his/her eyes healthy and continue with his online lessons? The following are some points to remember and follow to have a healthy homeschooling.
Conscious blinking
Constant staring at the screen, causes us to blink less frequently, which is natural.
Make a conscious effort to blink frequently.
It refreshes our eyes and our attention.
Normal blink rate- 12 to 15 times a minute.
A POEM
‘5 times’ the poem “Stretch Yourself 5 times”
Roll your head 5 times.
Roll your wrists 5 times.
Look outside the window, and count 5 objects you see. Drink sips of water 5 times.
5 times you jump like little Jack.
And teacher is here, we gotta run back.
Timing and taking breaks
Ideally, a session should be of 20 to 30 min at a stretch
Encourage a 10-minute break after each session
Child should move away from screen
Bigger screens
Ipads/laptops/tablets are always better than smartphones.
Position of device and posture
Place laptop, etc on a table than in the lap
Screen should be preferably 10 to 30 degrees below eye level, so there is no neck strain
Distance from the screen should be 1 and ½ feet to 2 feet
Back straight. Hunch in back due to constant slouching can cause turtling of back.
Maintain the distance
Smaller kids have the habit of drifting closer and closer to the screen over time.
Please supervise them
Brightness settings
Adjust it for your child before the session.
Too bright – unwanted glare.
Too dim – child has to peer, unwanted eye strain.
Wear spectacles – If your child is using spectacles, make him wear them
‘Anti-reflective ‘coating helps cut off the blue light from LED devices.
For older children who use contact lenses , remember using specs while studying at home is wiser.
Healthy diet
Mangoes, papaya, carrots – vitamin A
Broccoli – antioxidants, carotenoids
Dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, pistachios Vitamin C and E
Spinach – antioxidants
Egg yolk –antioxidants
Fish – omega -3 FAs
Other points
Cut down on screen time for entertainment purposes like watching cartoons, etc.
Physical activity – yoga, aerobics etc
Sleep –Adequate sleep of 8 to 10 hours is essential.