Nowadays bespectacled children with minus power glasses are a common sight; but people seem to be unperturbed by such a phenomenon as it appears nothing serious to them. We should know that ignorance is not always bliss. It may invite incurable disaster in future. The ubiquity of a lot of children diagnosed as vision impaired everywhere portends a bad prognosis that they may be rendered literally myopic.
A new study finds alarming levels of digital screen use by schoolchildren in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, raising concerns over eye problems, headaches, sleep deprivation, obesity and above all mental health. Researchers from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) recently found that on average, children spend at least 4.6 hours a day on smartphones, computers, gaming devices and watching television.
The study noted that while technology can support children’s education, creativity, communication, and skill development, excessive screen exposure overstimulates brain systems linked to stress and emotions, according to a report published in a local English daily on Friday last.
The study finds a strong link between prolonged screen exposure and severe eye problems. The problem has now assumed such a grave shape that it cannot be bypassed as a triviality. Reports have it that an enormous number of children with eye trouble come to the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital for treatment every day. Doctors say &0 percent of children are su7ffering from acute myopia. Even the doctors in the private sector eye hospitals hold the same opinion. Doctors categorically con firm the ailment as computer vision syndrome.
In fact proper statistics are not available as to how many children across the country are myopic. But a visit to the opticians’ is enough to guess what a big number of children are suffering from shortsightedness.
The renowned ophthalmologists find deep addiction to TV, computer, laptop, Tab, mobile as the villain of the piece for such troubles the abuses and overuse of such gadgets are damaging the eyesight of children significantly. Children are found glued to Tv, known as ‘Idiot Box’ and enjoying video games over cell phones for longer hours for they know not what a grave risk they are exposed to. As a startling health hazard their eyes are affected in the first place. Children come to doctors wit6h complains of eye pressure, excruciating headache, defective vision which may ultimately cause further complications difficult to heal.
Doctors attribute twitching, itching and dryness of eye to the addiction to computer, mobile and Tv. True, it is the age of mad race for securing top position in the society. But pushing children to attain excellence is no less responsible for the kids’ eye trouble than the computer and mobile. The problem of extra load on children has to be addressed instantly. For the free growth of children the governments must develop parks and playgrounds in cities wherer they can take outdoor exercise instead of video games. The greenery will save the vision of children.
