Is sitting too close to the television or reading in dim light harmful to my child’s eyes?

While there is no scientific evidence that sitting too close to the TV is bad for the eyes, it can cause eye strain. It can also indicate that your child is having trouble seeing at a distance. Many children suffer from a common condition known as myopia – or nearsightedness – which is the inability to see distant objects clearly.
As for reading in dim light, this will make your child's eyes feel tired, but it is not harmful. Even so, many vision problems begin before children reach school. One example is amblyopia – or "lazy eye" – where both eyes don't work well together. These vision problems can often be corrected if detected early. Even if your child displays no signs of trouble, I recommend that he or she receive a complete eye exam by age three.