HYDERABAD: With digital exposure for young children increasing during and after the pandemic, experts at LV Prasad Eye Institute here are advising parents to follow safety measures in view of the increased risk of myopia progression.
Following the 20-20-20 rule is important where every 20 minutes of watching a screen or doing any near-work activity, the child should take a 20-second break and look at any object 20 feet away, experts say.
“At the prevalent rate, 48% of children living in urban India are likely to be myopic by 2050 while about 4% of the myopes tend to have complications that can lead to permanent vision loss,” said Dr Pavan Verkicharla of the LVPEI.
“Children having myopia are at a higher risk of developing retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract and other eye diseases. Some of these can result in irreversible vision loss,” said Dr Ramesh Kekunnaya, head of the Child Sight Institute, LVPEI.
To prevent or slow down the progression of myopia, parents should encourage children to spend adequate time outdoors in natural sunlight while making sure their eyes are examined at least once a year, he says.