Myopia in children is on the rise.
In the past 30 years, myopia in children has increased at an alarming rate. It is estimated that about 40% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 have myopia. In Asia, the share has almost doubled. If nothing is done to slow this growth, half of the world’s population could suffer from myopia by 2050.
Myopia occurs when the eyes grow too long from front to back. Therefore, nearsighted people have good near vision and poor farsightedness. While glasses or contact lenses can correct a child’s vision, studies have shown that severe myopia puts children at risk for potentially blinding eye problems, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, early cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Spending time outdoors is good for your eyes.
While genetic factors play a role in who develops myopia, the sharp increase suggests that environmental factors may play a role. Many experts point out that an increase in screen time and a decrease in time spent outdoors may increase a child’s risk of myopia.
Why does outdoor time prevent nearsightedness, while close-up work makes it worse? It still needs to be made clear. One idea is that sunlight increases dopamine levels in the eye, which controls the rate of eye growth. Another theory is that a shorter viewing distance may promote abnormal eye growth. Think about working intensely for long hours, whether in front of a computer screen or reading a book, without breaks.
Whatever the cause, Dr. Ekdawi has seen the impact on her patients. “I see too many kids with retinal detachment,” she said. “This should not have happened.”
“The time for intervention is in early childhood because the earlier a child develops myopia, the more likely they are to develop severe myopia later in life.” So, the goal is to delay the onset of myopia and slow the rate of progression so that children can avoid the most severe complications of myopia, such as retinal problems.”
Ways to slow myopia
Options for slowing myopia include atropine eye drops and special multi-focal contact lenses.
Atropine drops dilate the pupils. It’s not clear how they work, but multiple studies worldwide have shown that low doses of atropine eye drops can slow the increase in myopia. Research has also shown that a new, unique contact lens can slow myopia development. These disposable contact lenses for daily use must be worn by a professionally trained optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Dr. Ekdawi prescribes these treatments based on the child’s age and the speed of their development. But all her patients get the same prescription for sunlight. Dr. Ekdawi encourages at least one to two hours of outdoor time daily, with screen time reduced to one to two hours daily.
As the mother of two daughters, Elizabeth and Magdalena, in junior high school, Ekdawi knows this is a challenging goal. But she also knew it could be done – even in Illinois, in the winter!
“You don’t have to completely change your life,” she said. “There were probably only two or three weeks last year when we couldn’t go out. I just bought a pair of snow pants to go out in them.”
Outdoor reading, no screen area, and other strategies
Dr. Ekdawi also lets her children read outside. Hence, they get dopamine from the sun and more opportunities to take their minds off work. Instead of reminding them to follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds), they do so instinctively, just as they naturally look up at a bird flying by or a squirrel running across the lawn. Try it. It’s genius.
At home, she and her husband have set up screen-free zones that both children and adults observe. She has found that establishing healthy habits is the key to educating her children. “The most important thing I’ve learned is: They’re watching me. So I had to change my behavior, too.”
This is more information that parents need to hear. A recent national study found that only half of parents recognize that screen time affects their children’s eye health.
There is growing concern that the COVID-19 pandemic could push up myopia rates as distance learning leads to increased use of electronic devices. Since the outbreak, Dr. Ekdawi says she has seen more cases of dry eye, strabismus, and myopia.
“I know that sometimes, we have no choice. It’s easy to put your kids in front of a screen. I don’t think TV is the devil; you need more awareness, “she said, noting that her husband had put a TV in an outdoor recreation center.
“You don’t have to be 100 percent perfect,” she said. “It’s just a matter of being good.”
