While the horizon of a return to normal seems less
distant, a new survey by CooperVision Canada and Maru/Blue suggests that the
pandemic may have generated near-vision habits, which according to experts
could have an impact on the eye health of Canadian children, including myopia.
According to the survey, 59% of Canadian parents
reported their children under 14 were spending more time doing activities that
require their near vision compared to before the pandemic. Among them, 27% even
indicated this extra time exceeded 5 hours a day, while nearly half (47%) said
their children would spend an extra 3 to 4 hours a day on nearsighted
activities. While near vision has been associated with higher incidences of
developing myopia, the changes in lifestyle and screen consumption resulting
from the pandemic could pose long-term concerns for Canadian children’s eye
health.
“Since the pandemic, children have been spending more
time inside relying on their near vision more and more for everyday activities,
including online learning, connecting with friends and family and
entertainment. As the pandemic and this dependency on online activities
persists, we are finding that these activities may be contributing to eye
strain and possibly resulting in myopia. What we should make sure of, is that
these new near-vision habits do not become the new norm,” said Dr. Debbie
Jones, Clinical Professor of Optometry at the University of Waterloo and
Clinical Scientist at the Centre for Ocular Research & Education.
Eye care professionals recommend monitoring eye health
in children at regular intervals, starting as young as six months old, before
they start school and annually. However, the survey revealed that a little over
half (55%) of Canadian parents get their children’s vision checked at least
once a year. An additional 20% reported having their children’s eyes monitored
every 2 or more years, and 24% have never had their child’s vision checked.
Not surprisingly, 42% of Canadian parents surveyed by
Maru/Blue for CooperVision also agreed their children are spending less time
outside compared to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a contributing
concern for their eye health, according to experts, who point to the lack of
outdoor time due to quarantine as another environmental factor leading to
myopia.
“The human body was not designed for us to only use
our vision inside,” added Jones. “Spending time outside is encouraged as it has
been shown to have a preventative effect and can delay the onset of myopia,
this should be easier now that the summer is here! Engaging children in outdoor
activities that do not involve using their near vision, making sure they keep a
reasonable distance from their books, tablets or TVs, and ensuring they take
regular breaks are good first steps to help prevent early symptoms.”
Click HERE for the full press release.