The view through the lens

When Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Sarah Michelle Gellar noticed her son Rocky struggling to focus on his screen during an online learning session, she assumed it was due to eye strain. But he was diagnosed with myopia. It may be caused by the increasing amount of time we spend in front of screens, whether for work, school, entertainment, socialisation or exercise. “I really chalked it up to screen fatigue because my kids didn’t have a lot of access to devices (before Covid). All of a sudden they’re thrown into this world where they’re on Zoom for school and the only way they can connect with their friends afterwards is to continue on these devices. It was not something my kids were used to,” Sarah shared. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly two billion people were diagnosed with myopia in 2010, accounting for one-quarter of the global population. The prevalence is expected to reach 3.3 billion people by 2030.

CAUSES

Myopia, or inability to focus on distant objects, is a common problem in both adults and children. “Surveys show that nearly 40-50% of world population has myopia,” says Dr Swapnali Sabhapandit, director and senior surgeon, Institute of Ophthalmic Sciences, AIG Hospitals. “Research has suggested that increased indoor time, with more near-focused work, like electronic screen, video games or extensive reading, leads to onset and increase in myopia in children. The high- est chance of getting myopia is between 5- 10 years of age. Less exposure to outdoor light enhances this risk. Since myopia cannot be reversed, the aim of eye doc- tors is to reduce the chance of the condition worsening,” explains Dr Swapnali. With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown periods, incidence of myopia among children has reached epidemic proportions. “Being confined indoors and lacking exposure to sunlight has adversely affected the paediatric population all over the world with regard to myopia onset and progression,” adds the ophthalmologist.

TREATMENT

Special contact lenses and glasses help slow myopia. “However, contact lens use in children should be carefully supervised as it can lead to infection and vision loss,” the doctor cautions.

Low-dose atropine eye-drops have also been shown to keep myopia from worsening in children aged 5 to 18.

Prevention is better than cure. Myopia is often inherited, but children can be prevented from developing it by limiting their screen time and encouraging them to spend more time outside.

PREVENTION

Myopia can be made worse by spending a lot of time focusing on objects that are only a foot away. “Encourage children to hold objects at least a foot away from their faces and to look away from the screen once every 20 mins for a few seconds to break the habit. It’s important to give kids at least an hour of outdoor sunlight exposure each day,” says Dr Swapnali.