Practical solution under the sun for myopia in children

May 12, 2023

Myopia is common in Asia

Getting youngsters to spend more time outdoors is not a short-sighted plan. In fact, research show that the more time children spend outside, the better their eyesight.

Vision impairments were once related with aging and heredity as risk factors. However, it has recently been discovered that children suffer from vision problems as well. Short sightedness or myopia in children are on the rise, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

By 2020, one-third of the global population, both young and old, will be affected by myopia, which is the primary cause of permanent blindness globally. Myopia incidence is expected to climb further, with 3.4 billion, or 4 in 10, individuals being myopic by 2030, and half of the global population being affected by 2050.

According to a study, the countries with the highest incidence of myopia, or prevalence of 80-90%, are in East and South East Asia, specifically South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, and Japan. Myopia prevalence is also increasing in other countries, including as the United States, where prevalence is doubling in three decades. ¹

Childhood myopia prevalence has increased in Asia over the years, with WHO estimating that 80-90% of school leavers in East Asia are currently affected.

Debilitating impact on health and economy

Meanwhile, recent trends show that the severity of myopia is also growing, leading to severe myopia, which is linked to the development of macular degeneration, cataracts, and even glaucoma retinal detachment. ²

Myopia has a major economic impact, particularly in countries where prevalence rates are high. Myopia can be costly to countries, causing more than US$200 billion in worldwide productivity losses each year. According to a World Economic Forum’ Centre for Health and Healthcare report, if left untreated, it has a detrimental influence on quality of life and contributes to low academic achievement in children. ³

More time outdoors

While contact lenses and prescription glasses can help with common vision problems, a natural, practical alternative can help prevent children’s myopia or enhance their eyesight; most importantly, it is free!

According to WHO, encouraging children to spend more time outside and less time doing intense “near-vision activity” such as reading or staring at devices can greatly help avoid myopia.

Similarly, orthoptics researchers from UTS Graduate School of Health and other Australian and international universities cannot emphasize enough the importance of spending more time outside and having healthy vision, as they discovered that children who spend more time outside are less likely to be, or become, myopic, regardless of how much near work they do or whether their parents are myopic.⁴

The importance of spending more time outside and maintaining good vision cannot be overstated, according to orthoptics researchers from the UTS Graduate School of Health and other Australian and international universities. Their research revealed that children who spend more time outside are less likely to be or develop myopia, regardless of how much activities they do or whether their parents have the condition.⁵
Have the sun in their eyes

The researchers also found that it makes little difference whether children perform sports, go on picnics, or read a book outside; what matters most is the exposure of the eyes to “bright light”.
According to Michigan State University, there is new evidence that suggests youngsters who spend more time outside in daylight may lessen their likelihood of developing nearsightedness.⁶

Similarly, bright light from the outdoors has been suggested to assist developing children’s eyes maintain the proper distance between the lens and the retina, which maintains vision in focus. Indoor lighting that is dim does not appear to provide the same level of input. As a result of spending too much time inside, children’s eyes fail to grow properly, and the distance between the lens and the retina grows too long, causing distant things to “appear blurry”.⁷

Dr Christopher Starr, an ophthalmologist at Weill Cornell Medical College, recommends spending one to three extra hours per day outside. This is in addition to recess at school. Dopamine, a recognized inhibitor of eye growth whose release is encouraged by light, hinders elongation of the eye; on the flip side, dopamine deficiency causes the eye to become more elongated, resulting in nearsightedness.⁸

Eye vitamins and diets

Another simple and inexpensive way to improve one’s eye health and reduce the risk of developing vision problems is to eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals. These foods are important for overall health, and for the eyes, there are specific foods that can help in maintaining top-notch eyesight. The following are tips suggested in an article found in the American Academy of Ophthalmology website. ⁹

Vitamins A, C, and E are good for eye health – The retina, a layer at the back of the eye that turns light that gets into the eye into electrical signals, needs sufficient of vitamin A; and vitamin A helps eyes keep moist, preventing dry eye. Vitamin A is abundant in orange-colored fruits and vegetables like carrot, mangoes, cantaloupe, and more. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, helps shield the body from harm brought on by poor diet and lifestyle choices as well as free radicals in the environment. Vitamin C aids in tissue growth and repair. Another antioxidant, vitamin E, supports the health of cells.

Fish with omega-3 fatty acids – According to research, diets high in omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish may help lessen the likelihood of getting eye problems later in life. Omega-3 is also helpful for tear function.

Vegetables that are sources of carotenoids – Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids found in the pigments of leafy green vegetables and brightly colored foods. These pigments are essential to protecting the macula the part of the eye that provides the most detailed vision. Eggs are also a source of carotenoids as well as vitamin A and zinc.

Sources:
1.https://myopiainstitute.org/myopia/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6688422/
3. www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/short-sightedness-cases-rising-globally/
4. https://www.uts.edu.au/about/graduate-school-health/news/rising-rate-short-sightedness
5. ibid
6. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_benefit_of_daylight_for_our_eyesight
7. ibid
8. ibid
9. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/fabulous-foods-your-eyes

Tags: children, featured, myopia