Amid rising concerns about increasing myopia rates among school-age children, ophthalmologists have linked this disturbing trend to the growing use of smartphones and digital screens.
Dr JS Tityal, chief of AIIMS’s Rajendra Prasad Center in Delhi, emphasised that excessive screen time impacts children's learning and development.
He warned that if not addressed promptly, this could lead to future eye complications. “To combat this issue, there is a need to have a law to restrict smartphone use for kids under three years old,” Dr Tityal said recently on World Sight Day recently.
He emphasised the importance of parents actively monitoring their children's screen habits and encouraging outdoor activities. In their pediatric outpatient department, the AIIMS doctors noted that up to 10 per cent of visiting kids had refractive errors, with 30 per cent diagnosed with myopia. Thus, underscoring the urgent need for action to combat this troubling trend.
Professor Rohit Saxena from the RP Centre, AIIMS Delhi labeled myopia a "lifestyle disease," and emphasised the concerning symptoms children may experience, including eye fatigue, pain, loss of concentration, sleep disturbances, headaches, and irritability. He warned that these issues could exacerbate myopia in predisposed children.
Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdev, Chairman of the Centre for Sight Group of Eye Hospitals, too stressed the importance of parental awareness, given that a child’s retina is still developing at ages 2-3.
“Prolonged exposure to screens can pose a 70% risk of retinal damage.” He urged parents to limit their children's screen time, as young kids are naturally drawn to digital content, to safeguard their vision and promote healthier habits.
