How to safeguard your child’s vision
With online learning now the norm, eye problems among children may increase, writes Dr Shamala Ganesan
AS the world continues battling the Covid-19 pandemic, we have become increasingly reliant on digital technology to keep society functional. Without electronic gadgets, we are crippled. School closures worldwide mean that a record number of children and youth are not attending school in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.
Instead, classes have become virtual to keep the learning process going but the downside is that children have become heavily dependent on electronics, both for education and leisure. This has led to a spike in eye strain and dry eyes in children.
Eye strain is a common condition that occurs when the eyes get too tired from intense use, such as staring at a computer or cell phone screen for extended periods without a break.
Prior to the pandemic, symptoms were already noticeable in children as young as 6 years old. These children experienced pain, blurring of vision, red eyes and irritated eyes.
If this were to continue, we could be seeing an entire generation suffering from retinal ageing problems from as young as 40. Currently, retinal ageing problems are common only among those above 60.
Retinal ageing is the degeneration of the retinal axons. It makes reading, driving and other functional work difficult.
In 2015, the Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology published a study which focused on a sample of 964 children aged 6-16 and it was found that 24.7 per cent of these children had eye strain.
Another study published in March 2019 in the BMC Ophthalmology reported that 18 per cent of 576 students in the 11-17 age group experienced eye strain at the end of the day after using digital devices.
There are many factors that affect how long one can spend on electronics before eyes start straining. These include underlying medical conditions, diabetes mellitus, pre-existing dry eyes, use of contact lenses, personal hydration levels, lethargy and environmental factors such as airconditioning.
TAKING ACTION
The rule of thumb is to look away from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something else 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. We call this the “20-20-20” rule.
If eye strain is left untreated, children may experience headaches, tiredness, sleep disturbance, concentration and memory disorders, dizziness, neck and back pain, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Since the pandemic began, parents have been coming to me as their children have complained of blurry vision.
This leads them to think that the child requires glasses when it really is just a case of dry eyes from eye strain and can be remedied with eye drops.
Due to the fear of seeking treatment at hospitals during this pandemic, many families will rather go to an optician, where the symptoms are misdiagnosed. Some children end up with glasses they do not need.
In cases where glasses are not required, the child could experience headaches and worsening vision in the long run.
To help combat this, since e-learning must continue in today’s environment, parents should instead cut down on their child’s leisure time spent on electronics.