Eye sight problems caused by smartphones are to root deeply in children as young as seven, a known UK eye surgeon has cautioned.
Right from the day of launch of smartphones in 1997 there has been observed an increase for nearly 35 per cent patients with advancing tendency of myopia (short-sightedness), as stated by David Allamby, a leading laser eye surgeon in the UK.
Allamby, founder of Focus Clinics, has cautioned that myopia among the young adults and children could rise by 50 per cent within the next 10 years and the prevailing trend has led him to dub the condition “screen sightedness”.
The recent research has stated that users hold their handsets only at a distance of 18 to 30cm away from their faces, as compared to newspapers and books which are held at least at a distance of 40cm away from the face when reading, as reported by the ‘Daily Express’.
“People need to ensure they limit screen time wherever possible even by going outside without their phone for a period of time each day (Getting out into the sunshine has been shown to reduce the progression of short-sight), and also seriously consider the age at which they give their children a smartphone,” Allamby added.
Allamby also stated that the present generation of children are at major risk of myopia, with children as young as seven being given their first smartphone.
