Delhi, November 14 (IANS). Myopia Clinic for Children was inaugurated on Thursday at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, one of the largest hospitals in the country. This step has been taken in view of the rapidly increasing myopia (problem of near vision) in children. On this occasion, hospital director Dr. M. Srinivas, RP Center head Jeevan Singh Tityal, Dr. Rohit Saxena and other faculty members and nursing staff were present.
The Myopia Clinic opened at AIIMS will provide holistic and effective treatment to control the progression of myopia in children.
Myopia is also called nearsightedness. It is a condition in which distant objects appear blurry, while nearby objects appear clear. This problem is increasing rapidly in children and if it is not treated in time, it can become more serious with increasing age.
According to recent research, about 20 percent of children all over the world are affected by myopia and this rate is continuously increasing. In particular, this figure has reached 80 percent among adolescents and young adults in East Asian countries. It is estimated that by 2050, 49.8 percent of the world’s population may be affected by myopia.
Children at risk for myopia are those who have a family history of myopia, those who spend less time playing outside, and those who do close work for longer periods of time, such as studying or excessive screen use.
Preventing the progression of myopia requires regular eye exams, using the right glasses, and encouraging children to play outside daily. Additionally, lifestyle changes, less screen time, and good study habits can prevent the development of myopia.
Dr. J.S. Tityal said, “It is not that work was not being done on myopia earlier. Work was being done here earlier also. We see thousands of children a year. This is not a social problem. A child in every household may suffer from it. We have to make people aware about this. We have established this clinic extensively. Data related to the patients coming here will be recorded.”
Professor Rohit Saxena said, “We have seen that problems related to vision are being seen in children these days. Keeping this in mind, we have established a clinic here, so that children can get proper treatment. Apart from this, we can make people aware about it. Many people come here to get their treatment.”
–IANS
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