mediawire
New Delhi [India], June 7: Myopia is the most common refractive error in which a person is unable to see distant objects clearly.
Over the past few years, myopia has emerged as a significant public health problem globally. It develops in childhood and has been found to more commonly affect East Asian children. With this increasing trend in myopia cases, it is estimated that half of the world will be myopic by 2050. The situation is worrying in India also.According to a recent study, it is estimated that about 40 percent of the youth population in the country is at risk of developing myopia.
Genetic factors play an important role in the development of myopia but some environmental and lifestyle factors are known to be responsible for its progression. Studies have found an interaction between environmental factors such as close work, outdoor activities, sun exposure, etc. and the progression of myopia.
With changes in lifestyle and habits, young children of the current generation are spending less time outside. Playing outdoor games in the sun has also reduced considerably.But some studies suggest a protective role of time spent outdoors in the progression of myopia. A study conducted in India found a statistically significant negative directional association between outdoor activity and myopia.
It has been found that each hour increase in outdoor activity per day has a protective effect on the progression of myopia. Time spent outdoors is beneficial not only for preventing the progression of myopia but also for disorders like ADHD, hyperactivity, asthma, etc. Public health measures aimed at preventing the progression of myopia could be based on increasing hours of outdoor activities for targeted children.Not only parents but also curriculum decision making authorities.
India has seen a steady increase in myopia cases across all age groups and in rural and urban areas. According to a study, the incidence of myopia in rural children has increased from 4.6% to 6.8% in a decade. The prevalence of myopia in urban India is projected to increase to 48% by 2050. Although Indians are a less progressing group (-0.3 D/year) compared to East Asians (-0.6 to -0.8 D/year), the increasing number of myopes cannot be ignored.According to guidelines published by the All India Ophthalmological Society, 40 to 120 minutes of outdoor time is associated with reduced incidence of myopia.
Thus, schools should include specific periods for outdoor activities in their curriculum for children. Also, parents should encourage their children to play outside instead of indoors and reduce screen time playing with gadgets.
Myopia (nearsightedness) in children is indeed a growing concern. Factors such as excessive screen time, lack of outdoor activities, and genetics can contribute to its development.That is why myopia is more common in children in cities than in villages. Regular eye exams and encouraging outdoor play can help reduce the risk. Regular outdoor games should be made a part of the school curriculum.
Dr. Leela Mohan, Senior Phacosurgeon and HOD Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Comtrust Charitable Trust Eye Hospital, Calicut
Naturally, it's believed that humans need a lot of sun exposure, whether it's for Vitamin D or anything else! The new dangerous epidemic of myopia is predicted to affect 50% of the population by 2050. It is a product of genetic and environmental factors, primarily our indoor-focused lifestyles and close work, especially excessive use of smartphones. Is due to. The simplest lifestyle modification we can make to prevent the onset or progression of school myopia in children aged 4 to 15 years is to get exposure to sunlight and play for about 45 to 60 minutes a day.
New Delhi [India], June 7: Myopia is the most common refractive error in which a person is unable to see distant objects clearly.
Over the past few years, myopia has emerged as a significant public health problem globally. It develops in childhood and has been found to more commonly affect East Asian children. With this increasing trend in myopia cases, it is estimated that half of the world will be myopic by 2050. The situation is worrying in India also.According to a recent study, it is estimated that about 40 percent of the youth population in the country is at risk of developing myopia.
Genetic factors play an important role in the development of myopia but some environmental and lifestyle factors are known to be responsible for its progression. Studies have found an interaction between environmental factors such as close work, outdoor activities, sun exposure, etc. and the progression of myopia.
With changes in lifestyle and habits, young children of the current generation are spending less time outside. Playing outdoor games in the sun has also reduced considerably.But some studies suggest a protective role of time spent outdoors in the progression of myopia. A study conducted in India found a statistically significant negative directional association between outdoor activity and myopia.
It has been found that each hour increase in outdoor activity per day has a protective effect on the progression of myopia. Time spent outdoors is beneficial not only for preventing the progression of myopia but also for disorders like ADHD, hyperactivity, asthma, etc. Public health measures aimed at preventing the progression of myopia could be based on increasing hours of outdoor activities for targeted children.Not only parents but also curriculum decision making authorities.
India has seen a steady increase in myopia cases across all age groups and in rural and urban areas. According to a study, the incidence of myopia in rural children has increased from 4.6% to 6.8% in a decade. The prevalence of myopia in urban India is projected to increase to 48% by 2050. Although Indians are a less progressing group (-0.3 D/year) compared to East Asians (-0.6 to -0.8 D/year), the increasing number of myopes cannot be ignored.According to guidelines published by the All India Ophthalmological Society, 40 to 120 minutes of outdoor time is associated with reduced incidence of myopia.
Thus, schools should include specific periods for outdoor activities in their curriculum for children. Also, parents should encourage their children to play outside instead of indoors and reduce screen time playing with gadgets.
Myopia (nearsightedness) in children is indeed a growing concern. Factors such as excessive screen time, lack of outdoor activities, and genetics can contribute to its development.That is why myopia is more common in children in cities than in villages. Regular eye exams and encouraging outdoor play can help reduce the risk. Regular outdoor games should be made a part of the school curriculum.
Dr. Leela Mohan, Senior Phacosurgeon and HOD Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Comtrust Charitable Trust Eye Hospital, Calicut
Naturally, it's believed that humans need a lot of sun exposure, whether it's for Vitamin D or anything else! The new dangerous epidemic of myopia is predicted to affect 50% of the population by 2050. It is a product of genetic and environmental factors, primarily our indoor-focused lifestyles and close work, especially excessive use of smartphones. Is due to. The simplest lifestyle modification we can make to prevent the onset or progression of school myopia in children aged 4 to 15 years is to get exposure to sunlight and play for about 45 to 60 minutes a day.
