Put your devices down as Rochdale opticians warn of screen dangers to children

Friday, 19 September 2025 12:48

By David Murphy

Children across Rochdale are being urged to ditch their screens in favour of healthier habits as part of National Eye Health Week.

Paul Cheethams Opticians in Lord Square, Rochdale, has issued a rallying call to young patients and their parents during the national campaign, which runs from 22 to 28 September.

Practice manager Karen Peel is encouraging families to take part in a nightly “screen amnesty” at 8.20pm, giving children’s eyes a much-needed rest before bedtime.

She explained: “Research shows half of all sight loss is avoidable, so we want to inspire our patients to make some small lifestyle changes that could make a big difference to their vision and eye health.

“As part of this year’s National Eye Health Week we’re advocating a screen amnesty at 8:20pm (20:20), a perfect opportunity for parents to get their children to put their screens down and give their eyes a rest before bedtime.”

According to recent figures, the average person in the UK spends 35 hours a week in front of a computer screen. Around 90 per cent of screen users report symptoms of screen fatigue such as tired eyes, headaches, blurred vision and poor colour perception.

Experts suggest following the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye strain, looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes when using a device.

Organisers of the awareness week have also issued further guidance to protect vision, including eating more fruit, vegetables and nuts, quitting smoking, exercising regularly and booking an eye test at least every two years.

Each day of the week-long campaign highlights a different theme, ranging from children’s eye health and sports vision to ageing eyes and workplace eye care. The ultimate goal is to educate people on protecting their eyesight and reducing preventable sight loss.

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