The pandemic has impacted the world,it has impacted students in a different way too. Jobs were lost and some people were  forced to work from home for their own safety. Students were subjected to online learning and teachers to online teaching. During the year 2021 students and teachers had to adapt to use  a computer and both teachers and students had to learn how to use different platforms like Khan Academy,Google Classroom,CANVAS.

The computers helped students and teachers to have easy access to Google Classroom and Clever.Tablets and phones also had access to these websites but it is easier to use a computer because they are faster.But computers have a bad side because they affect people’s eyesight. 

For example, according to The Washington Post, ”A January study of more than 120,000 children in China found that the rate of myopia (nearsightedness, or trouble seeing things at a distance) among children ages 6 to 8 increased markedly during a home confinement period, when schools closed from January through May because of covid-19.”

The pandemic is not gone because people are still getting sick and people are still using a computer.People are working and  studying on a computer which means that there is going to be more than 120,000 cases of myopia after a few months.

Students are back to in-person learning, most of their assignments are still online. Teachers are tired of the screen and have tried giving paper copy assignments.

Senior Astrid Wilson said “My teachers hand out paper copy assignments because some of them also don’t like staring at a computer all day.”

Some students must feel a relief when their teachers give them paper copy assignments because for some of them it is very complicated to stare at a computer all day.

Junior Julissa Blanco said that because she stares at a computer all day she has these symptoms, “My eyes hurt a lot and all of the time my eyes constantly feel heavy, tired, dry and I am rubbing them constantly because of itchiness and sometimes redness.”

Computer screens have also affected teachers’ eyesight, teachers try to give paper assignments and that’s a break for everyone because at least for an hour both teachers and students can be away from computer screens.Since, it is not safe for anyone to touch paper that often a break is not possible all the time.

Neville Adams, an English 12th and student government teacher said”Looking at a computer screen has caused a strain on my near and intermediate vision,and it is rare that I give paper assignments because of the limiting of the collective touching of documents”.

Computers can affect the vision of students and teachers, but that is the only way to learn safely in class because people can’t be close to each other and teachers touch a lot of papers. Being safe in class can also bring problems to everyone’s eyesight because staring at a device causes damage to eyesight regardless of whether or not they wear glasses.

According to the article STOP DIGITAL EYE STRAIN IN THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM, by connections academy, “digital eye strain can affect everyone who uses any type of electronic device, such as computers, TVs, smartphones, tablets, and gaming systems. In today’s digital climate, it only takes a couple hours of continuous use of electronics to experience it. Common symptoms include:Dry eyes,Blurry vision,Headaches.”

Unfortunately vision problems continue to increase because students and teachers continue to use computers in classrooms,and unfortunately there is no other way to learn safely in class but we hope that soon this pandemic will end and everything will return to normal.