It’s time to turn our eyes to one of the most significant eye health threats of the 21st Century.
Did you know that ‘shortsightedness’ or ‘nearsightedness’ are other names for myopia? They mean that a person can see clearly up close, but not well far away.
Myopia is becoming more common in young children. If a parent has myopia, their children are more likely to develop it too.
Near activities are ones that involve looking at things close up, like reading a book or using a smartphone. Lots of time on these things can increase myopia risk.
Here are some common myopia symptoms:
- Eye rubbing, squinting or closing one eye to see.
- Sitting too close to the TV or holding a book too close.
- Sore or tired eyes.
These tips can help you prevent developing myopia:
- Spending time outdoors.
-Holding a book or device at least 30cm from eyes.
- Implementing 20-20-20 rule. Take a 20 second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes of doing near activities.
Eye conditions are remarkably common. Those who live long enough will experience at least one eye condition during their lifetime.
Globally, at least 1 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. In the absence of timely detection, reduced or absent eyesight can have long-term personal and economic effects. Vision impairment affects people of all ages, with the majority being over the age of 50. Young children with early onset severe vision impairment can experience lower levels of educational achievement, and in adults it often affects quality of life through lower productivity, decreased workforce participation and high rates of depression.
Vision impairment and blindness impact the life of people everywhere. In low- and middle-income settings the burden of vision impairment can be even greater due to fewer opportunities to access the most essential eye care services.
Cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors are estimated to be the leading causes of vision impairment; however, other causes for vision impairment cannot be ignored. Age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, long standing systemic conditions like diabetes causing diabetic retinopathy, infectious diseases of the eye and trauma to the eye are all equally important causes for vision impairment that need to be addressed.
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