Lockdown increases short-sightedness amongst children
Opticians are reporting an increase in diagnosing children with short-sightedness (myopia) since the start of the pandemic.
With children spending less time outside due to lockdown restrictions, more time spent on screens and a decrease in the number of eye tests being booked throughout the last year, with over 6 million appointments being postponed, myopia is on the increase. Whilst screens don’t cause any damage to your eyes, prolonged near activities like looking at a screen can cause the eyes to feel uncomfortable and tired, causing fatigue.
The College of Optometrists are calling for parents to encourage children to play outside for at least 2 hours a day. This is proven to prevent the development of myopia. This is due to your eyes being more relaxed when you are outside as you’re focusing on objects that are further away. The sunlight has also been proven to help a child’s eye develop into the right shape for adulthood.
Regular annual eye tests are also being encouraged to keep track of any changes in their child’s eyesight, no matter how small.
What is myopia?
Myopia is the medical term for short-sightedness – a common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, whilst closer objects can be seen clearly.
Up to 1 in 3 people in the UK are affected by it.
The condition often starts as a child, especially during the teenage years.
Signs your child has myopia include:
- Struggling to see the board at school and so sitting closer or falling behind in class
- Sitting close to the TV
- Headaches or tired eyes
- Regularly rubbing or squinting their eyes.
The main treatment is glasses which can help the eyes focus on distant objects.
