80-90% of Vietnamese children will be nearsighted

According to world data, after the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of children with myopia increased significantly˳

Because children’s eyes are in close contact!

Doctor CKII Phan Hong Mai – Head of Refraction Department, Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, said that children with myopia tend to increase, especially after the COVID-19 season, children learn online on computers˳ For a long time, many children are “locked” in the house and for those who are already nearsighted, it is easy to increase the degree˳

WHO predicts that 50% of the world’s population will be nearsighted by 2050, with more myopia in Asia due to racial factors, with 80-90% of Asian children going to be nearsighted˳

The factors related to myopia are race, genes, environment (especially near-sighted activities: looking at phones and computers a lot, doing little outdoor activities, staying indoors a lot…)˳

Children in the city often have a higher rate of nearsightedness than in rural areas because it is possible that children in rural areas can play more outdoors˳

In addition, the pressure to study in the city may also be higher˳ When learning pressure is high, children have to study a lot, which will increase the time to look up close˳ This also increases the risk of nearsightedness˳

Electronic device culprit, blue light

Doctor Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh – eye specialist – said that there are many reasons for the increase in the rate of children suffering from eye diseases such as: nearsightedness, loss of vision, eye pain… Too much exposure to electronic devices, great pressure in studying, wrong use of electronic screens, genetics, nutrition…

MSc Nguyen Thanh Danh – Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology and Dentistry, Children’s Hospital 2 (HCMC) – said that electronic devices emit blue light, whose wavelength is close to ultraviolet rays that cause ultraviolet rays˳ reduced risk and loss of vision˳

To prevent the harmful effects of blue light, parents should arrange for children to have a reasonable study schedule, set the “night light” mode on the computer screen˳ In addition, children need to wear glasses with blue light filtering function when using electronic devices˳

“Parents should place electronic devices so that the center of the screen is about 10cm lower than the eye position; do not place the screen vertically to avoid light reflection˳ The distance between the device and the student is 40cm for with mobile phones; 60-65cm for desktop computers and laptops,” said Doctor Danh˳

For televisions, Dr˳ Danh recommends an estimated distance greater than 1˳5 times the screen size˳

For example: TV 50 inches, suitable distance greater than 75 inches, equivalent to about 2m˳

In addition, parents need to limit their children’s learning by phone because the phone screen is quite small, it is best to use a desktop computer (desktop) or laptop (laptop)˳

A TV connected to a laptop can be used to get a larger screen, but be aware of the height and distance of the TV from the child’s position˳

At the same time, the current construction of study time of the Ministry of Education and Training (35-45 minutes per class period, 5-10 minutes of changing periods and a 15-20 minute break after every three lessons) was based on the eye’s ability to focus˳

Therefore, parents should remind their children to take a break between two classes and a break to rest their eyes˳ During recess, parents should not allow children to come into contact with devices including television˳

Let’s prevent it from now on

To prevent myopia, as well as increasing myopia, according to doctor Mai, children must be active outdoors for at least 2 hours a day˳

Parents need to pay attention to periodically measuring refractive errors at least every 6 months at reputable places˳

In addition, children need to reduce learning pressure, increase physical activities such as playing sports…

Doctor Mai said that there are now low-quality eye drops that will slow down the progression of myopia for children who still have increased myopia˳ These children need to be seen by a doctor for an indication to use this medicine, which helps to reduce myopia˳

In addition, there are also night glasses that reduce the rate of myopia increase˳ This type of glasses is indicated for people with low myopia and astigmatism, specifically myopia less than 4 degrees and astigmatism less than 1˳5 degrees˳ Glass users need to clean glasses according to the instructions of a specialist˳

Users of this type of glasses can also monitor the effectiveness of treatment with a corneal mapping machine in specialized facilities with fully equipped equipment˳

Mai emphasized that the consequences of myopia progression cause other dangerous diseases such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma (cataract), cataract (dry cataract)…

When my eyes suddenly blurred!

Recently, Ms˳ NTTH – 42 years old, living in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City – took her daughter to have her eyes checked, and her eyes increased from 1˳75 degrees to 2˳25 degrees in just 6 months˳

Ms˳ H˳ said that after more than a year of online learning during the COVID-19 season, her child – a 9-year-old NTN girl – had a decline in schoolwork, and her child’s ability to absorb was slow˳

After asking her daughter again, she realized that for a long time her son could not see clearly the words the teacher wrote on the board˳ The results of the school health check at the school also suggested that her family should take her child for an eye exam˳

“In mid-October, I took my son to the Eye Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City to have his eyes checked, but I still don’t think my child may be nearsighted˳

I subjectively think that I take good care of my baby, always make sure to feed my baby with adequate nutrients, and no one is nearsighted at home˳

When the doctor announced that my child has myopia of 1˳75 degrees, I just remembered that during the COVID-19 pandemic, my child studied through the computer all day˳ After school, she often asks her mother to let her learn English on her iPad˳

Thinking back, every day during this time period, I looked at the computer screen, iPad for ten hours˳ Recently, I took my son to have his eyes checked again˳ In just six months my baby’s eyes have grown to 2˳25 degrees˳ I’m really worried about my daughter,” said Ms˳ H˳

Similarly, Ms˳ NPT – 38 years old, living in Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City – also recently took her 10-year-old daughter to an eye exam and was told by the doctor that her child was near 1˳5 degrees˳

Many times, I see my children wink, eye strain, but Ms˳ T˳ does not care˳ Until one time when I couldn’t see the words on the TV, had to approach the TV to read, Ms˳ T˳ suspected that I had an eye problem˳

Ms˳ T˳ said that outside of school time, her children mostly stay at home˳ On weekends, parents only take their children out to play, but they also mainly go to shopping centers, but children rarely have outdoor activities˳

“In Ho Chi Minh City due to the large population, narrow houses, busy parents, so outside of school time, children stay at home a lot˳ When they come home, children look at their phones or continue studying online on computers˳ ˳˳

These are also factors that put children at increased risk of nearsightedness˳ I went to pick up my children from elementary school˳ I observed that many students had to wear glasses,” a parent shared˳T˳ DUONG)

Preventing myopia in school timely and properly

Myopia is one of the most common refractive errors, which is increasing in adolescents˳