I wonder if masks contributed to this at all. When we started wearing them I got gnarly headaches which went away after taking them off, maybe it was rebreathing, though, and not postoptical. My distance vision also deteriorated noticeably but I'd say my habits remained largely consistent.

There are so many problems with staring at screens in addition to this. eg.

1. Eye strain and headaches: Staring at screens for extended periods of time can cause eye strain, headaches, and other physical symptoms.

2. Sleep disruption: The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, leading to sleep problems.

3. Decreased physical activity: Spending too much time staring at screens can result in decreased physical activity and contribute to sedentary behavior.

4. Social and psychological effects: Spending excessive time on screens can have social and psychological effects, such as reducing face-to-face interaction, increasing feelings of isolation, and affecting mental well-being.

I've always wondered whether using a projector as a computer display avoids the near focus eyestrain problem. Does anybody know? Granted, 4k projectors aren't inexpensive but they're not unmanageable either.

Can't we just give kids reading glasses or reading contacts? This would reduce the strain on their eyes for all the near-work they are doing, and they can take them off, or have a minor correction for distance work.