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During India's remarkable digital revolution, where technology has woven itself into the fabric of everyday life, a silent challenge unfolds—one that directly impacts the clarity of vision for the future generation- myopia.
Myopia, also called near-sightedness, used to be a distant worry, but now myopia affects countries, especially the younger populations, blurring out their dreams and minds. Amidst this issue, a notable gap appears- how myopia affects rural and urban children. Let us explore these disparities in detail.
Myopia in children is a condition where a child has clear near vision but blurry distant vision due to risk factors like genetics, close-up tasks like reading or watching TV at a short distance, longer screen time, and limited outdoor exposure.1 If your child has myopia, their eyeball is slightly longer than normal from front to back, or their cornea (the clear part on the front of the eye) may be curved.2
Myopia is a common problem among children. It has become a major public health problem globally, affecting several countries with a prediction that up to 50% of the world population will be myopic by 2050. Uncorrected myopia could have social, psychological, economic, and developmental implications. In addition, due to the degenerative changes in the retina and the optic disc, the irreversible vision-threatening sequel seems inevitable.3
Over the past decade in India, studies show that myopia in rural kids was found to be four times higher as compared to myopia in urban kids (48% in rural children versus 12% in urban children). The study assessed nearly 1,66,000 urban and 1,20,000 rural areas.4
When it comes to myopia in rural kids, the increase could be attributed to several reasons. For the past few years, many Indian villages have become developed with access to basic amenities just like their urban counterparts.
India is also going through a tech boom, especially in the last ten years. More people in villages now have TVs, phones, laptops, and internet. This is because data costs less, smartphones are affordable, and the internet connection in villages has gotten better. These might have resulted in decreased outdoor activities, increased near work, and computer-related visual stress and fatigue. Moreover, the shift to high-pressure education systems in schools may also play a role.
While it's hard to directly prove a cause-and-effect relationship, the fast changes happening, especially the shift from rural to more city-like environments in India, might be a factor in the increasing cases of myopia.5
To add to this, limited access to eye care services and awareness programs in rural communities often mean that vision issues go undetected and untreated. Unlike their urban counterparts, rural children may face obstacles in obtaining timely eye examinations and corrective measures. Moreover, the lack of educational resources and awareness about the importance of children’s eye health can result in a different kind of myopia disparity—a lack of preventive measures.
A higher prevalence of myopia in urban kids, compared with rural settings, has been consistently reported in several studies.4 How does myopia affect urban landscapes is a question that has no surprising answers, especially when children often find themselves immersed in a digital realm from a young age. Whether it's for educational purposes or leisure, the constant use of smartphones, tablets, and computers contributes significantly to the rising rates of myopia.
Moreover, school-going children of the modern era depend tremendously on the use of electronic screens, including computers and mobile phones during online classes. The COVID-19 pandemic made things even more screen-centric, with schools moving classes online. Students ended up spending long hours on digital devices for classes and note-taking, which heightened the risk of digital eye strain in children. Playing video games, watching cartoons and drama frequently could also contribute to the rising problem of myopia.5
Another contributing factor could be the urban environment, with its limited outdoor spaces and increased screen time, which creates a perfect storm for the development of nearsightedness. On the contrary, in rural areas, having more outdoor space and easy access to outdoor activities may be one reason why myopia rates are lower there.4
In rural communities, the focus should be on increasing access to eye care services and providing education about the significance of regular eye check-ups. Mobile eye clinics and community outreach programs can bridge the gap and ensure that every child, regardless of their geographic location, has the opportunity to maintain good eye health.
In order to manage myopia in urban kids, it would help to spread the word about the importance of outdoor activities, taking breaks from screens, and getting regular eye check-ups. When it comes to detecting vision problems in kids, schools have a big role to play in children’s eye health by amending curriculums that involve high exposure to digital devices, ensuring classrooms are well-lit, encouraging outdoor activities from time to time or establishing partnerships with local eye care professionals to conduct children’s eye exams.
Parents can be a part of the solution by watching for signs like squinting and frequent headaches, and by scheduling children’s eye exams. Limiting screen time, encouraging outdoor activities, and staying in touch with teachers can also play a crucial role in supporting children's eye health.
References
FAQs on Does Myopia Affect Rural & Urban Children Differently?
Who is most affected by myopia?
Myopia, also called near-sightedness, used to be a distant worry, but now myopia affects countries, especially the younger populations, blurring out their dreams and minds.
What are the risk factors for myopia in children?
Myopia in children is a condition where a child has clear near vision but blurry distant vision due to risk factors like genetics, close-up tasks like reading or watching TV at a short distance, longer screen time, and limited outdoor exposure.
How common is myopia in children?
Myopia is a common problem among children. It has become a major public health problem globally, affecting several countries with a prediction of up to 50% of the world population will be myopic by 2050.
What is myopia in children?
Myopia in children is a condition where a child has clear near vision but blurry distant vision due to risk factors like genetics, close-up tasks like reading or watching TV at a short distance, longer screen time, and limited outdoor exposure.
Which country has the most myopia?
It has become a major public health problem globally, affecting several countries with a prediction of up to 50% of the world population will be myopic by 2050.
