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Myopia-afflicted kids may develop psychological rues

Myopia in children has been significantly related to lower consumption of protein, fat, Vitamins B1 B2 and C and iron, besides the cholesterol factor as well as less exposure to sun. ''Besides children's diet, the mother's diet before and during pregnancy may also play a contributing role in the eventual structural strength of the child's eyes," said Dr E C Ranjit, Ophthalmologist at the Emirates Diagnostic Clinic, who conducted the survey.

"Changes in the psychological outlook of uncorrected myopic children is very common. Such children may take the far vision for granted and concentrate their energy into indoor activities. They usually become introverted studious and develop little interest in out door activities," said Dr Ranjit. "It has been hypothesised that prolonged reading or retinal blur of prolonged near work leads to the development of myopia. People who wear spectacles for myopia may remember being told that they would ruin their eyes if they read in dark or in a moving car or held the book too close to the face," he said. "Children should take frequent eye rest break during long study period watching TV and using computers," he advised.

Explaining the condition, Dr Ranjit said that myopia was a condition in which the eye was unable to focus at a distance. "It is a leading cause of loss of vision throughout the world and its prevalence is increasing. It is estimated that 25 per cent of the adult population is myopic," he added. "The prevalence of the disease varies by country and by ethnic group even reaching as high as 70- 90 per cent in some Asian populations," Dr Ranjit noted.

People with myopia can be classified in two groups, those with low to modest degree of myopia referred to as ''Simple Myopiaí'' or School Myopia (0 to 6 Dioptres) and those with High or Pathological Myopia (Greater than 6 Dioptres).

Dr Ranjit said that myopia typically begins in childhood with the condition progressing throughout the high school and colleges. "Adults in the past didn't frequently develop myopia, but computer use seems to have increased the incidence of adult first time eye-glasses or contact lens wearers," he said.

"Unfortunately we don't fully understand the cause of myopia. Simple myopia may or may not be genetically determined. But high or pathological myopia has a strong genetic basis," Dr Ranjit said adding, some studies show that children with myopic parents, although not yet myopic themselves tended to have longer eyes than children with non-myopic parents, resulting in a predisposition to become myopic in later life. Besides hereditary factors there are at least two other factors involved in its development. They are environmental factors and nutritional factors.

Talking about environmental factors, Dr Ranjit said, "Extended near point tasks common to today's scholastic and business world requires the eyes to strain to focus on reading material. This causes spasm of the eye's ciliary muscle (muscles responsible for the lens inside the eye, like a camera, which can significantly increase the pressure inside the eye. With prolonged increased pressure the car becomes delongated, permanently blurring the distance vision."

"Some nutrients which strengthen collagen might also help in keeping the eye from becoming elongated. Calcium, magnesium, boron, manganese, and Vitamin D all come to mind as well as Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids. Vitamin E can slow the progress of myopia in children," said Dr Ranjit.

Giving solutions, Dr Ranjit said that simple myopia could be corrected with spectacles, contact lenses or laser surgeries.

• UAE