Life without glasses is great
World Sight Day, which falls on October 10 this year, highlights the crucial importance of eye health and raises public awareness about preventing vision impairments and blindness. It also supports efforts to ensure accessible eye care for all. In 2024, the World Sight Day motto, “Children, Love Your Eyes,” emphasizes the protection of the youngest generations' vision.
Eye Centre Prague (OCP) joins this global campaign, drawing attention to the need for parents to be more vigilant about their children’s eye health. Currently, we are facing a significant increase in the number of children with nearsightedness, or myopia, one of the most common vision impairments in children.
According to the latest statistics from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics, the number of children with nearsightedness has risen by nearly 16,000 over the past ten years, representing an increase of more than 30%. This trend is becoming a global issue that requires immediate attention and proactive solutions. Andrea Janeková, MD, FEBO, FEBOS-CR, Chief Doctor of the cataract, refractive, and vitreoretinal surgery centre, warns: “We are seeing alarming numbers, and we are essentially approaching an epidemic of nearsightedness. For example, in Southeast Asia, up to 90% of the population wears glasses for distance vision, and although the situation is somewhat less dramatic in Europe and the USA, the number of myopia cases here has also more than doubled over the past decade.”
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World Sight Day is a global initiative organized annually on the second Thursday of October by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO): https://www.iapb.world/world_sight_day |
One of the main factors contributing to the rise in nearsightedness is excessive screen time – including mobile phones, tablets, and computers. Children are spending more time in front of screens, which forces their eyes to constantly focus on nearby objects. This prolonged eye strain leads to the elongation of the eyeball, resulting in the development of myopia.
In addition to digital technology, genetics also plays a role – if both parents are nearsighted, the likelihood that their child will suffer from the same issue is significantly higher.
According to Dr. Janeková, myopia not only necessitates wearing glasses but can also have serious consequences for vision later in life: “The danger of myopia lies primarily in the possible development of other eye diseases, which are more common in highly nearsighted individuals. These include retinal tears, retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and a higher incidence of glaucoma.”
Prevention is key to protecting children's eye health. According to research, regular time spent outdoors and in natural daylight has a beneficial impact on visual development and can slow the progression of myopia. Children should spend as much time as possible outdoors, as natural light helps stimulate the eyes and supports their healthy development.
Regular eye check-ups are essential for early detection of refractive errors. Dr. Janeková recommends that parents bring their children for their first eye examination around the age of three, especially if there is a family history of eye issues. Early diagnosis is also crucial for preventing amblyopia (lazy eye), which could lead to permanent vision impairment if left untreated.
“The primary solution for myopia includes wearing glasses or contact lenses. There are also special lenses designed not only for vision correction but also to slow the progression of myopia. These lenses offer clear vision in the centre of the lens and have a honeycomb-like arrangement toward the periphery, which blurs the image on the retina, preventing further eye growth. The child does not perceive this as a blurry image, but the eye receives a signal that the light ray is behind the retina, signaling that it should stop growing,” explains Dr. Janeková about the function of these special lenses.
These lenses should always be prescribed by an ophthalmologist. Treatment can also be combined, using both glasses and atropine eye drops, which are administered to the child once daily during eye growth, as recommended by an ophthalmologist.
World Sight Day 2024 offers an ideal opportunity for society to pay greater attention to our children's eye health. It also serves as a reminder that wearing glasses should not be seen as a stigma but rather as an essential tool for improving quality of life and eye health.
Eye Centre Prague joins this World Sight Day call to action, as protecting our children’s vision today can help ensure they enjoy clear vision and healthy eyes in the future. In addition to regular check-ups, we recommend limiting screen time and encouraging children to engage in outdoor activities.
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