In the section «Ask an expert a question», our reader Lily asks:
«The child is going to school this year. I’m thinking of buying him a computer to study. There will be educational films to watch, and suddenly again children will be transferred to home schooling because of the coronavirus. Tell me, which is better for studying: a desktop computer, laptop or tablet?»
— The gadget screen for a child should be large. Especially if we are talking about a student who does his homework for him. The smaller the screen, the more the child strains his eyesight. Because a computer is better than a laptop, a laptop is better than a tablet, and a tablet is better than a smartphone.
It is more useful for vision if the gadget is stationary on the table. In the case of a tablet, it is much more difficult to ensure this condition.
The monitor should be at such a height that its center is either at eye level, or so that the neck is not overstressed, 15-20 cm below their level. The optimal angle of deviation of the screen from the vertical back is 10-15 °. The distance from the eyes to the monitor should be 30-40 cm. It is at this distance that the human eye can clearly see letters and pictures without significant strain, while not particularly straining the visual system.
A child can work with a computer only in good light. Otherwise, the effect of the blue glow of the screen increases, and the muscles of the eye get tired much faster due to the high contrast between the light spot (screen) and the dark background.
If a child has to work with a gadget at home, buy him a push-button phone to reduce the «screen time». Also, don’t let’s watch videos and read from the screen in the car. In motion, the distance of the gadget from the eyes is constantly changing. The eyes are constantly being rebuilt, which leads to fatigue and weakening of the ciliary muscles (they provide the ability to see objects at different distances).
