Digital Devices Increase Kids' Chance of Myopia, WCM Doctor Tells 'CBS This Morning'

As many parents and caregivers know, kids are spending more time than ever in front of screens. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average 8- to 18-year-old spends about seven-and-a-half hours per day in front of a screen. 

Spending this much time in front of computers and mobile devices can negatively impact children’s visions, said Dr. Christopher Starr, an ophthalmologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, during a recent appearance on CBS This Morning.

Kids increase their risk of myopia, or nearsightedness, the longer they stare into a screen, he said, and the rate of myopia in the United States has doubled in the past 50 years.

Watch Dr. Starr’s interview on CBS This Morning to learn more about childhood myopia, how to prevent it, and how to tell if your child may be nearsighted.