Smartphones, schools and summer birthdays fuel the boom in myopia, warn scientists



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The use of smartphones and other devices by children contributes to the epidemic of myopia and those born in summer are almost double the risk, warn scientists.

Ophthalmologists at King's College London have found that time spent playing computer games and school work from a very early age fueled rising rates of myopia worldwide.

The study follows twins born in the mid-1990s and found that children whose mothers graduated or who were born later in the school year are the most exposed – the time spent in front of a school. screen playing a less important role.

But an editorial published alongside these findings by Australian and Singaporean scientists warns that the burden of "digital myopia" will skyrocket in today's generation of schoolchildren on smartphones and tablets.

"The increase in digital screen time resulting from games, social media and digital entertainment has led to an increase in sedentary behavior, poor nutrition and a lack of outdoor activities," said Dr. Mohamed Dirani. his colleagues at the Singapore National Eye Center.

"The use and misuse of smart devices, especially in our pediatric populations, need to be closely monitored to cope with the emerging phenomenon of digital myopia."

Nearly 2,000 average 17-year-old twins, born between 1994 and 1996, participated in King's study.

In total, 26% of participants were nearsighted and the average age at which children started wearing glasses was 11 years old.

Being born this summer almost doubled (93%) the risk of myopia, while those who spent more time playing computer games were 3% more likely to develop such sight problems.

Curiously, King's research also suggests that IVF could reduce the risk of myopia by as much as 35%, which the authors believe could be due to infants born on fertility treatment being smaller. , which slows the development of the eyes.

“We attempted to address the question of what early life factors in modern-day childhood contribute to myopia and identified maternal education, playing computer games and a summer birth to be associated with increased odds, while fertility treatment appeared protective,” the authors write in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The findings come as experts warn that short-sightedness will affect 4.8 billion people by 2050, up from 2 billion in 2010.

Myopia increases with every year in education and improvements in schooling globally, coupled with an explosion in digital technology, mean many more children are spending their childhoods in classrooms rather than playing outside.


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The problem is most pronounced in east Asian countries with particularly rigorous academic cultures and in some Chinese provinces 67 per cent of children are short-sighted by age 13.

“We attempted to address the question of what early life factors in modern-day childhood contribute to myopia and identified maternal education, playing computer games and a summer birth to be associated with increased odds, while fertility treatment appeared protective.”

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