(hla) Leader laser eye surgeon David Allambym announced that 40-50 percent of 30-year olds could suffer from myopia by 2033 as a result of smartphones. Although smartphones have made our lives easier, is the potential vision impairment worth it?

Also the founder of Focus Clinics, Allambym reported a 35 percent increase of patients with advancing myopia since the launch of smartphones in 1997. He also claims that that there is potential for the condition in young adults to increase by 50 percent within 10 years.

Femalefirst.co.uk reported that since a large population of the UK keeps up with the advancement of technology, the young people and children are definitely at risk of permanently damaging their vision, especially when children as young as seven are being given their first smartphone.

Research has also revealed that an average smartphone user holds the handset 30cm from their face while some people also hold it just 18cm away. The distance is too near compared to newspapers or books which people usually hold around 40cm away from the eyes.

Excessive screen watching at a close proximity keeps the genes that control myopia activated well beyond the age that short-sightedness would historically have stabilised (which is around the age of 21), Allamby said. This is otherwise known as 'epigenetics'. Although myopia used to come to an end in our early 20s, it is very common to see it progressing even in our 40s these days.

He added: "People need to ensure they limit screen time wherever possible even by going outside without their phone for a period of time each day, and also seriously consider the age at which they give their children a smartphone."
The Hindu reported that it is predicted that by 2014, children aged 12 to 17 years will be the second biggest market for smartphones behind 18-24 year olds.



By Genevieve Tan Shu Thung

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Holistic Living Annex (AUGUST 2013)