Spending time outdoors plays an essential role in preventing the progression of myopia in children. However, the COVID-19 pandemic protocols advised us and our kids to remain indoors for years. Because of this, the motions needed to stop the spread of the virus exacerbated the rate of nearsightedness among the youth.
In this article, you'll read:
- The COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates the Progression of Myopia in Children
- Myopia Cases in Singapore
- Things You Need to Know About Myopia
The COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates the Progression of Myopia in Children
Everybody knows that children were not allowed to go out of their houses when the pandemic started. It was primarily to ensure their health and safety against contagious diseases.
However, one negative effect of children not being able to go out of their houses is their lack of outdoor playtime. Lack of outdoor playtime is one factor that worsens the rates and hastens the progression of myopia in children.
In most cases during the pandemic, less outdoor playtime could mean more screen time. That kind of lifestyle change in the middle of a pandemic exacerbates myopia. It is way worse compared with the situation years before the pandemic.
Professor Saw Seang Mei is the Singapore Eye Research Institute's Myopia Research Group co-head. She said that seven worldwide studies have found that children had a faster myopia progression during the pandemic.
"We are currently evaluating the data from Singapore and will contrast the myopia progression levels before and during the pandemic," said Prof Saw.
Children spent less time outdoors and more time looking at screens during the pandemic.
The Importance of Outdoor Playtime
Children need to spend time outside of their houses. Having outdoor playtime is essential as there is more natural light than indoors.
The sunlight reaches the retina at the back of the eye. It will trigger the production of a chemical known as dopamine, which helps prevent myopia.
"Children who don't spend enough time outside are not exposed enough to the light from the sun," said Prof Saw. "So, the chemical cannot be released in the retina."
Myopia Cases in Singapore
In April of last year, the British Journal of Opthalmology released a study about nearsightedness in Singapore. It claimed that Singaporean children spent only one to 1 1/2 hours outdoors each weekday. On weekends, they spend only 1-2 hours outdoors per day.
The time they spend outside is much lower compared to children in Australia and Britain. In those countries, kids stay outdoors for an average time of 2-3 hours each day.
Several 9-year-old children participated in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort study. It aimed to understand how conditions in pregnancy and early childhood influence the health and development of women and children.
In this study, researchers used a light meter to measure the amount of sunlight in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
According to Professor Saw, "The light level inside a room is about 200 to 300 lux on average, usually below 1,000 lux. However, the amount of light outdoors can be as high as 30,000 lux."
Aside from that, Singapore features cloudier skies. Because of this, people get less sunlight than in countries such as Australia, which brings about 100,000 lux.
These two factors can help to explain why myopia sets in earlier among Singaporean children than those in other countries.
Among Singaporean children, the age of myopia onset is 8.5 years old. It is much lower than children in Europe or the United States, around 12 to 16 years old. Heartbreakingly, Singapore is known to be the myopia capital of the world, with myopia prevalence among the highest worldwide.
Things You Need to Know About Myopia
Myopia or nearsightedness is a common vision condition. If you have myopia, you can see objects near to you clearly, but things farther away are blurry. This eye condition occurs when the shape of your eye causes light rays to bend (refract) incorrectly. It focuses on images in from of your retina instead of on your retina.
Myopia may develop gradually or rapidly. It often worsens during childhood and adolescence. Aside from that, it also tends to run in families. A basic eye exam can confirm myopia. You can compensate for the blurred eye with eyeglasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery.
Symptoms of Myopia
The symptoms include:
- Blurry vision when looking from afar
- The need to squint or partially close the eyelids to see clearly
- Headaches or migraines due to eyestrain
- Bad vision while driving a vehicle, especially at night
Meanwhile, the symptoms of myopia in children include:
- Constantly squints
- Need to sit nearer when watching a movie or a television show
- Must sit at the front of the classroom
- Seem to be unaware of distant objects
- Excessive blinking
- Frequently rubbing or scratching their eyes
You must seek medical care if you experience the following:
- The sudden emergence of specks that appear to float through your line of vision
- Flashes of light in one or both eyes
- A curtain-like shadow over your visual field
These are warning signs of retinal detachment, a rare complication of myopia. Time is of the essence when it comes to retinal detachment. Doctors consider the procedure as a medical emergency.
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