Hundreds of thousands of kids and teens across the country have no other choice than to sit in front of a screen for several hours in order to attend school and complete their assignments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these kids are most likely spending 10 or more hours in front of a screen every single day. School can be 4-6 hours, and for high school students, homework and assignments can add anywhere from 1-4 more hours in front of a screen. This doesn't even include all of the time that children are spending playing video games, on their phones, or watching TV.

Clearly, this is a huge problem. Science has shown that extended amounts of time in front of blue light causes disturbances in sleep patterns, and overall sleep quality. Moreover, according to the health center at UC Davis, "continued exposure to blue light over time could damage retinal cells and cause vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration." Thousands upon thousands of children are at risk of such threats to vision, eye health, and sleep.

So, we call upon our local government leaders to supply blue light glasses to all students that are currently remote learning. Doing so will reduce the risk of the threats that blue light and screen time have to our vision and overall wellbeing. These glasses will be put to use every single day, as students look at their screens for school, and look at other screens during their free time. Thank you for your time.