Doctor claims screens are damaging children's eyes

Excessive screen time is damaging children's eyesight, a medical specialist has claimed.

Eye doctor Irfan Jeeva, from Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, said more youngsters were needing glasses because of exposure to digital devices.

Dr Jeeva said phones, tablets and televisions were a "good babysitter", but warned parents to limit screen time for their children.

One of his patients, seven-year-old Aishwarya, from Leeds, has been told her worsening eyesight is potentially linked to her screen time.

Myopia, which causes short-sightedness and difficulties seeing objects a long distance away, is becoming increasingly common in children.

Speaking to BBC Look North, Dr Jeeva said: "We're still learning about it, but there's enough data for me to believe that increased screen exposure can affect your visual health, mental health, physical health and emotional health.

"Screens are quite addictive. They have an internal reward mechanism that makes you want to spend more time with them," Dr Jeeva added.

He likened the problem to eating "lots of chocolates" without taking care of one's teeth.

Although other factors, such as a family history, could be contributing to Aishwarya's short-sightedness, her father Raj said he would "re-evaluate" how much screen time she had.

He said: "I'm not surprised her eyesight has got worse. There is a lot of screen time in the house and sometimes we struggle to fully control that.

"There's an element of peer pressure as well. She's only seven, but some kids in her class have mobile phones now.

"As a parent there's a constant guilt trip, where we're not sure if we're doing the right thing or not."