The rising risk of myopia in India- Act now to save eyes of our children

We have seen a significant jump in the number of kids needing glasses in the last few years. Covid-19 pandemic has pushed this number towards dangerous territory. Now, we often see that almost every other child needs glasses and very often, many of them require high power glasses. What has changed? Why is myopia becoming such a significant problem in the young generation? Let us discuss what has resulted in this sudden change and what can be done to protect the eyes of our future generations?

Myopia, or near-sightedness, is becoming increasingly common among children. Recently, there has been a significant rise in need for distance vision glasses amongst the young population. This condition makes it difficult to see distant objects clearly and, if left unchecked, can lead to more serious eye problems like amblyopia, retinal detachment, maculopathy , etc in the future. Myopia is becoming more and more prevalent. We need to act now, if we want to protect the eyes of our future generations. Let us understand why this is happening and what can be done to prevent it.

Why is Myopia on the Rise?

Most cases of myopia result from excessive elongation of the eye. This can result from genetic or environmental factors. One of the most critical causative factor for myopia development is prolonged periods of near-work (reading or mobile/tablet usage). The following factors are most important in determining development of myopia

• Increased Screen Time/Excessive Near Work: Prolonged use of smartphones, tablets, and computers along with excess near work causes increase in myopia. There has been a considerable increase in screen time for the kids post Covid-19 and that has resulted in myopia growing to epidemic proportions.
• Lack of Outdoor Activities: Natural sunlight is known to stop increase in glass power in kids. Children are spending much lesser time in outdoor activities due to increased stress on studies along with excess of screen usage. This is leading to nutritional deficiencies along with higher risk of developing myopia.
• Genetics: History of one or both parents having minus power glasses, increases the risk of myopia in children.
• Diet: Poor nutrition can also impact healthy development of the eye.

What clues can tell you that your child may need glasses?

If your kid does any of the following, you need to get their eyes checked immediately:

• Squinting (making his/her eyes smaller) to see distant objects.
• Holding books or screens too close to the face.
• Complaints of headaches or eye strain.
• Difficulty seeing the board in school.
• Frequent rubbing/squeezing of eyes

What can we do prevent development or progression of myopia in children?

1. Encourage Outdoor Play: Make sure your child spends at least 1-2 hours outside every day. Outdoor play reduces the risk of myopia by allowing the eyes to focus on distant objects in natural light. Natural sun light is known to have protective effect on our eyes and reduces the elongation of eyes.

1. Limit Screen Time: Set daily limits on the use of digital devices. Avoid usage of mobile phones in children below 10-12 years of age. This is the single most important change we need to make to protect eyes of our kids.
2. Distance is the Key: Avoid excess near-work. Shift tasks from mobile/tablet to television/laptop. Avoid any screen usage in very young children.
3. Ensure Proper Lighting: Good lighting during reading or screen time reduces eye strain. Avoid dim lighting when doing close-up activities.
4. Teach the 20-20-20 Rule: If your child is engaged in screen time or close-up work, remind them to take a break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds 
5. Balanced Diet: Provide a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially those high in Vitamin A, C, E, and Omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients support eye health. Include foods like carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, oranges, almonds, walnuts and fish.
6. Schedule Regular Eye Exams: Early detection is key. Ensure your child gets a comprehensive eye exam every year. Remember, a child may not be able to effectively communicate that they have any eye problem.
7. Medical treatments to prevent progression of myopia: Fortunately, there are now eye drops which can slow the increase in glass power. Also, special type of glasses that help in stabilizing the growth of our eye have been developed and are being used successfully. These treatments help in limiting the increase in glass power.

Don’t Wait, Act Now!
Protect your child’s vision today, by adopting these simple yet effective habits. Early intervention can make all the difference! We need to not just prevent the development of myopia but also try to minimize the progressive increase in glass power. Because, it well known that higher the glass power, the more is the risk of serious complications developing in the eye.

Consult an Eye Specialist Today
Kids eyes should be checked once at birth and the best time to get the eyes checked for any need of glasses is when the child is at pre-school age of 3-4 years. This would result in early detection of any eye problems, preventing further complications.

We need to be proactive today, so that our next generation can have a brighter tomorrow.

Dr Vikas Veerwal

Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist,

Director and Head of Services,

Shreya Eye Centre, Indirapuram

Contact: 9811036639; drvikasveerwal@gmail.com

Website : http://drvikasveerwal.com/