More screen time amid pandemic could lead to eye problems in children Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor, Ivanhoe Newswire Published: Tags: More screen time amid pandemic could lead to eye problems in children ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Nearsightedness, also called myopia, is on the rise in kids. Many experts say more time in front of screens amid the pandemic and less time outdoors is to blame for this trend. The COVID-19 quarantine has meant isolation and boredom for kids, and this is a familiar scene for many families. But all that screen time may be leading to more cases of nearsightedness. That’s when you can see things up close but not far away. In the U.S., only 25 percent of the population suffered from nearsightedness in the 70′s. Today, it’s 42 percent! Experts say one big reason is kids are getting less natural sunlight. Focusing your eyes in the daylight can delay the onset of nearsightedness. And, the blue light from screens can cause another problem that doctors call “digital eye strain.”