Dubai: Kids glued to tablets and smartphone devices is the reason cited in increasing vision conditions, said leading eye specialists.
Though data is scant on the exact number of cases, they said that there has been a definite increase in vision conditions among children aged three to seven.
Cases of short-sightedness (myopia) and dry eyes are on the increase among kids who overuse screens, which are held close to the eyes for extended periods.
During the live Twitter Q&A Clinic (@DHA_Dubai), a regular forum hosted every Thursday by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the dangers of prolonged use of computer and smartphone screens were highlighted.
Speaking to Gulf News, eye specialist and forum panellist Dr Manal Taryam, also CEO of the Noor Dubai Foundation, said, “We are seeing more younger children who need glasses. There is a definite increase in the number of vision conditions from overuse of near vision, causing visual stress.”
Referring to vision problems vis-à-vis the ‘touch screen generation’, Dr Manal said various studies link the overuse of interactive screens with vision conditions among kids.
“Some studies point out that the overuse of near vision leads to refractive errors compared to children who played outdoors,” she said.
She stressed the importance of screening at birth, between the ages three and five and between the ages 10-12. “If vision conditions are diagnosed in time, corrective action can be taken. For instance, if lazy eye [a condition with poorer vision in one eye as compared to the other] isn’t corrected in time, it can lead to permanent vision loss.”
On the subject of how vision conditions affect a child’s development, Dr Abdullah Naqi, consultant ophthalmologist at Dubai Hospital and forum panellist, told Gulf News, “A child with poor vision will experience difficulty in communication and language, and face adjustment issues at a social level.”
He explained that younger children aged three to five are more tactile, and tend to break glasses or feel that these are an obstruction to their social life, for example, during sport or at playtime.
“Vision problems should be diagnosed in time so the child’s development isn’t affected,” he said.
The Twitter forum also marked World Sight Day (WSD), an annual day of awareness observed globally on the second Thursday of October.
