Rising Eye Problems among children & Adults : Experts urge to ‘Love Your Eyes’ this World Sight Day
Eye problems among both adults and children are steadily increasing — be it cataract, glaucoma, or myopia. While some eye issues are age-related, others are caused by lifestyle factors. This year, World Sight Day will be observed on Thursday, October 9, with the theme “Love Your Eyes.” So, take care of your eyes — neglecting them can lead to blindness.
Dr. Ajay Sharma, Founder and CMD of Eye Q Eye Hospitals, says that concerns about the younger generation are growing, as the number of children suffering from myopia (difficulty in seeing distant objects) continues to rise. “Among the elderly, cataract and glaucoma are already common issues.
Glaucoma increases after the age of 40 — especially for those with a family history of the disease, or those who are diabetic or on steroids. “At this age, it’s not enough to just check your eyeglass number; you must also get your eye pressure and retina examined. Once glaucoma develops, it’s very difficult to treat, and the most dangerous part is that it shows no early symptoms,” he explains.
Growing digital dependency is also worsening eye strain for both children and adults. Experts recommend following the 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds and we have also myopia control glass available these days which have effective results. Dr. Ajay Sharma emphasizes that parents must encourage outdoor and physical activities among children, ensure they avoid reading in dim light, and maintain a balanced diet with sufficient fruits for healthy eyes.
According to WHO data, about 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment or blindness, and the condition of 1 billion of them could have been prevented. This highlights the urgent need for awareness. In this direction, Eye Q continues to reach out through free eye camps, especially to those who have limited awareness or live far from hospitals.
WHO’s statistics on myopia are also alarming. The organization reports that in South-East Asia, 50–60% of the population currently has myopia, and this figure could rise to 90% by 2050. Similarly, a study by the RP Centre, AIIMS Delhi, revealed that the prevalence of myopia in rural and urban populations rose from 7–10% in 2010 to 17–20% in 2018.
Therefore, this World Sight Day, let’s all be more aware and ensure that we don’t neglect our eyes.
