Children's Study Centre

Reading, writing, and other near point tasks can prove very demanding on the visual system. Children are especially susceptible to visual stress while their eyes are growing and developing. By providing your child with a well designed study centre, you're giving him or her a spot where work can be performed more efficiently, and with less visual stress. Away from distractions, and working under better conditions, homework will be completed faster, more thoroughly, and who knows.. maybe grades will improve!

A study spot also contributes to the building and maintenance of good vision. Here is what you'll need:

• An adjustable-height table or desk is first. Make it large enough to hold lamps, books, papers, and other materials. Adding a slanted surface, such as a medium-sized drawing board tilted up about 20 degrees should be a part of the study centre.
  
  
• A good quality, supportive chair which is adjustable, is a must.
  
  
• A lamp above the table, or a goose neck table lamp. Light on the table should be twice as bright as the general room illumination.
  
  
• Ideally the table or desk should be located so the student can look into an open space. It is critical to have a situation where the child can look up from the desk work, across the room or out a window. For every 20 minutes of desk work, one should rest the eyes for 20 seconds, by looking far away (remember 20-20!).

Other important considerations for good visual habits:

• Working distance: Forty centimetres (16") is considered ideal for near work. Holding objects at too close a distance can significantly increase visual strain. Prior to working, it is a good habit for a child to make a fist, place the fist against his or her cheek with the elbow pointing out in front . The distance from the eye out to the end of the elbow will be the correct distance to hold reading material. The material may be held even further, but should never be held closer than the elbow distance.
  
  
• Posture: Sit straight, chest up, shoulders slightly back and weight over the seat so that both eyes are the same distance from the material. Poor posture has been shown in experiments to cause considerable strain on the eyes!
  
  
• Writing: Holding pencils or pens too near their tip requires twisting or leaning to look around the fingers. Instead hold the pen or pencil about an inch from the tip.
  
  
• Television: Yes it's true!! Don't sit too close. Stay back at least five feet, preferably further. And don't have all the room lights off.
  
  
• Stress relieving lenses: A proper study centre helps, but students who have trouble with near vision tasks such as homework may need specially designed reading glasses as tools to enable them to develop, maintain or enhance their efficiency in studying. A full optometric evaluation can determine if such lenses are required. Where there is a need, the improvement in school work is often very dramatic!