A new study from AIIMS Raipur has shown something quite worrying: kids in India, especially those under five, are spending a lot of time on screens. The Cureus journal published the study in June 2025. It found that toddlers spend an average of 2.22 hours a day on screens, which is more than double the safe limit set by the World Health Organization and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. It’s even more worrying that babies under two, who shouldn’t be using screens at all, are spending an average of 1.23 hours a day in front of one.
Dr. Jay Goyal, a senior eye surgeon and director of Surya Eye Institute, says that this trend, which has gotten worse because of the pandemic and the move to online learning, is very bad for a child’s health and growth.
The Unseen Risks of Spending Too Much Time on Screens
Dr. Goyal says that using screens too much is not simply a bad habit; it’s bad for your health. He brought out three main things that worried him:
Delays in Development: Too much screen time can have a direct effect on a child’s development, especially in areas like language and communication. Instead than interacting with the actual world, kids are passively taking in content, which can slow their growth and make them more reliant on screens.
Eye Problems: Digital devices’ blue light and continual focus are making myopia (nearsightedness) and other vision problems worse. Too much time in front of a screen can hurt a child’s eyes, which are still growing and can cause irreversible damage.
Mental and Emotional Health: Kids who spend a lot of time on screens are more likely to be anxious, irritable, and have trouble sleeping. The continual digital stimulation can be too much for their young minds, making it hard for them to control their emotions and making them less likely to interact with others in person.
A Parent’s Guide to Keeping Your Child Healthy
Dr. Goyal says that screens are a part of modern life, but parents need to do things to lessen their bad impacts. It’s not enough to just cut down on screen time; the answer is to help them live a better, more balanced life.
Here are some important things parents can do:
Set up “No-Screen Zones” in places like the dining room or bedrooms where everyone in the family can go without their devices. This simple guideline makes mealtimes and bedtimes more meaningful and encourages people to talk to one other in person.
Don’t use screens as pacifiers. Don’t give your child a tablet to settle them down or keep them busy while they eat. This habit makes people dependent on it, which is hard to escape.
Embrace Offline Activities: Make reading books together, playing outside, and promoting creativity with toys a priority. These exercises are very important for a child’s brain growth and help them learn how to solve problems.
Teach your youngster to take a break every 20 minutes when they need to use a screen. This is called the 20-20-20 Rule. To rest their eyes and ease the strain, they should look at someplace 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Be a Good Role Model: Kids learn by watching their parents. Be aware of how much time you spend on screens and set a good example of how to use technology in a healthy way.
Why You Should Get Your Eyes Checked Regularly
Dr. Goyal ends by saying that all kids should have their eyes checked regularly. Eye tests are no longer necessary for when a youngster starts to complain about their vision because digital learning is becoming increasingly widespread. Finding problems like myopia and dry eyes early on can keep them from getting worse and causing long-term vision problems.
He wants parents, teachers, and health care workers to work together to teach kids how to be “screen-smart” and take care of their eyes. He says that this change is necessary to raise a generation that is not just ready to succeed in the digital age but also has keen wits and good eyesight.