Hyderabad: Myopia, or short sightedness, is growing at an alarming rate among children, due to the increased time they spend looking at the screen of electronic gadgets, and reduced exposure to natural light.
It is estimated that about half of the world population would be affected by myopia by 2050. As of now there are 40 million children in India who need spectacles, say experts.
Continuous usage of smartphones causes eyesight-related problems in children and might lead to symptoms of headache, eye strain, physical discomfort and irritability.
Experts advise that infants at home should be made to play more with toys. As they grow, they should be aquaintained with activities like solving puzzles and drawing. They should be made to play more in the morning sun. “Parents should avoid giving mobiles to children below the age of six. If at all, they want to show any digital content, it should be through television, that too within 40 minutes with parent supervision,” said Dr Ramesh Kekunnaya, head, Child Sight Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute.
He said that showing children mobile phones during the lunch time should be avoided completely as they get addicted to it. Doctors suggest that people should adequately blink when doing prolonged work on screens. Eating healthy diets rich in carotenoids, and adequate sleep was beneficial.
