Eye Sight of Children Affected by Online Learning

A study done by The Chinese University of Hongkong has shown there is a 2.5 fold increase in myopia (short sight) in school-aged children in Hong Kong after online learning was implemented due to pandemic. Unprecedented level of quarantine, prohibiting outdoor activities and restricting daily routines to indoor activities has triggered a 'myopia boom.' Myopia is the most common ocular disease worldwide and is responsible for multiple ocular complications which carry a high risk of irreversible vision loss later in life due to excessive eyeball growth. It is predicted that approximately half of the world’s population will become myopic by 2050, with the highest prevalence in East Asia. Outdoor play is good for the eyes because sun exposure helps to increase dopamine release and slow down eye growth. Secondly, the increasing reliance on digital devices needs to be addressed.