Effects on Prolonged Screen Time on Postural Health and Visual Health in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Natalia Ellis Sandoval,1 Maria Isabel Peña Martinez,1 Ana Belen Fernandez Cea,1 Erwin Hernando Hernandez Rincon2 1Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Cundinamarca, Colombia; 2Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, ColombiaCorrespondence: Erwin Hernando Hernandez Rincon, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia, Email [email protected]: To explore the long-term impact of prolonged screen exposure on postural and visual health in children and adolescents.Patients and Methods: A scoping review was conducted in December 2024 using PubMed, Scopus, and BIREME, focusing on articles from 2019 to 2024 in English and Spanish. The studies were categorized into visual and postural health domains and synthesized through graphs and tables. A total of 27 articles were analyzed. The snowball method was used to complement the literature search.Results: The studies revealed a 55.3% increase in the use of portable electronic devices following the COVID-19 pandemic. Reported consequences included eye strain, computer vision syndrome, and musculoskeletal pain, especially in the cervical and lumbar regions. These effects were more prevalent in urban populations in Asia.Conclusion: Prolonged screen time significantly affects children’s visual and postural health. These findings highlight the need for public health policies to guide and regulate screen use in young populations and to educate parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.Keywords: screen time, posture, visual impairments, preschoolers