Myopia is becoming more common in India, especially among the urban population. This tendency has been confirmed by a number of studies and reports, which show that myopia has become more common among kids and teenagers in recent years.
As many as one-third of all children in urban India aged 5-15 years are expected to suffer from myopia by 2030, as a result of increased sedentary lifestyle and prolonged use of screens.
Every third Indian child will develop myopia due to prolonged sitting and screen use.
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE
Myopia, commonly known as near-sightedness, is a condition where objects are clear, but those farther away appear blurred.
It has become a significant public health issue worldwide with one in every two individuals being myopic as early as 2050, with a rising prevalence among children and young adults.
Recent scientific studies show that in the 20- year period from 1999 to 2019, the incidence of myopia among urban children has tripled in India, from 4.44 per cent to 21.15 per cent, respectively.
INDIA
India has been witnessing a steady increase in the number of myopia cases in urban children over the last few years. Expert predictions, indicate that the prevalence of myopia among urban children will increase to 31.89 per cent in 2030, 40 per cent in 2040 and 48.1 per cent in 2050. This means that one out of every two children in India will be suffering from myopia in the next 25 years, up from one in four currently.
SYMPTOMS AND INTERVENTION
The symptoms include blurry vision, difficulty seeing distant objects, eye strain, headaches, and fatigue — particularly after prolonged screen use.
Recognising the symptoms of myopia in children is important for early intervention. While the condition cannot be cured, it can be helped with glasses or contact lenses.
Calling for regular eye check-ups and encouraging children for outdoor activities.
Sedentary lifestyle and reduced outdoor activities are also contributing to the rapid rise in myopia cases in children.
Excessive screen time stimulates the eyes, retina, and brain of children, leading to accelerated myopic changes due to rapid eyeball growth.
A lack of exposure to essential natural light due to being indoors also affects eye health. Changes in lifestyle brought about by urbanisation, including an increase in near-work activities like studying, reading, and extended durations of near-work caused by demanding academic contexts in metropolitan locations are other contributing factors.
Genetic predisposition also matters; it’s possible that urban populations have a higher prevalence of genetic risk factors linked to myopia. These all factors put a lot of pressure and strain to our eyes, retina and nerves, as a result of which the incidences are gradually rising..
Public health initiatives, education campaigns, lifestyle adjustments, and enhanced access to eye care services are needed to tackle the rising issue of myopia in Indians.
(Dr Naresh Purohit is Advisor- National Blindness Control Programme. The views and opinion expressed in this article are those of the author)
