As Optometrists, over the last 2 years we’ve been asked countless times if lock downs, home learning and more screen time is causing an increase in problems for children and now we have the clinical research to say “Yes”, unfortunately it is increasing myopia, or shortsightedness, in children.
A recent paper, studying the glasses prescription and change in prescription of more than 120,000 chinese 6 to 8 year-olds has found an increase in myopia, or shortsightedness, during their 6 month lockdown in 2020.
We were already on the trajectory of 50% of the worlds population becoming myopic by 2050, we now may find this epidemic occuring faster and more extreme due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown, home learning and increase in screen time.
This, and more, was covered in a recent article by The Conversation: Hidden in plain sight: How the COVID-19 pandemic is damaging children’s vision.
Thankfully we have many options with great clinical research to slow the progression of myopia, or delay onset in some cases. To learn more about what we have available as treatment option at Canterbury Eyecare follow this link to our Myopia Management page.
If this is of concern for you about your child, book an appointment to see one of us at Canterbury Eyecare.
