Children’s vision problems..there are many causes, and the loss is one

Lamia Al Harmoudi (Sharjah)
In the era of smart computers and electronic games, vision problems have increased in young children, and despite the multiplicity of reasons, the loss is one, a child in the prime of life, who wears glasses, perhaps for genetic or environmental reasons or because of daily behaviors and the way he deals with smart devices, and the time he spends playing Or studying through these devices, and the cause may be due to other diseases that affect the eyes.
Children’s vision problems that need to be corrected are one of the important and sensitive issues because they affect their future lives in education or later to obtain a driver’s license or a job opportunity. Parents should pay attention to the factors that may affect the health of their children’s vision, as there are genetic and environmental factors, The third concerns daily behavioral behaviors, as well as factors resulting from other eye diseases.
A number of parents confirmed that they noticed the need for their children to wear glasses, especially after they used tablets for long hours a day, up to more than 6 hours, especially after the pandemic, and the transformation of “distance” education.
Maryam Amin said: “Two of my sons are now wearing glasses, while I feel that two others need them, because they do not see well from afar, and they constantly rub their eyes, and I think that the main reason is not only genetic, but because of the smart screens that It has become part of their daily routine to learn and have fun at the same time.”
In turn, Talal Mahmoud explained that all of his children are now wearing glasses, even the youngest of them, who is no more than 9 years old, and this is something that has occurred greatly after the transition to “distance education”, as I noticed the spread of this matter even among the children of my peers and friends, and it cannot be ignored. .
For her part, Rayan Amer, a teacher for the foundation stage, confirmed that due to the current crisis and the conditions of “remote learning”, and the frequent use of devices for more than six hours a day, I noticed some students, with an approximate rate of 60%, suffering from eye tremors and poor vision. Lethargy and extreme fatigue, indicating that these symptoms may be indicators of a defect in their vision, and may be due to their need to wear glasses.
Dr. Maysoon Abu Shaala, an ophthalmologist at the University Hospital in Sharjah, confirmed in a statement to Al-Ittihad that there are important symptoms and signs that indicate parents to expect or not to have vision disorders in their children, namely: headaches, an increase in the speed of eye blinking, rubbing eyes with hands, and sitting. They are too close to the TV for good vision, as well as close the distance between their eyes and mobile devices or electronic tablets when using them, and they lose focus with the teacher in the classroom, because they are not able to see the blackboard and the wall screen well during the explanation, and a fall is considered Often, especially when playing, one of the indicators that the child suffers from difficulty or disturbance of vision.
Dr. Maysoon Abu Shaala stressed that parents should notice these symptoms if they recur frequently, and monitor their children, as when one or more of the previous symptoms are observed, they must visit a specialized ophthalmologist for a comprehensive examination that includes a doctor’s examination, and the use of modern techniques to identify Visual defects, making sure that there are no other diseases of the retina, the vitreous body, the lens and all parts of the eye.
She pointed out that one of the important things that parents should pay attention to is the need to control the hours of use of electronic devices for children, such as: mobile phones and tablets, because of this negative impact on eyesight, and considering it a major cause of visual disorders in children.
She said: The reason is due to the fact that tablets and screens are among the causes of visual disturbance in children, because children get used to using them, and their eyes are at very short distances from the screen, which causes a state of false myopia, and reduces their ability to see distant objects, and this has a direct impact on the level of Their understanding of the course material is explained on smart screens or the classroom blackboard, which is much further away.
Dr. Maysoon Abu Shaala confirmed that, during her practice as an ophthalmologist, she saw many cases of children suffering from short-sightedness, due to the bad use of electronic devices, and these cases may sometimes reach their inability to see beyond two meters only, noting that it has been proven that blue light Radioactive devices from electronic devices cause damage to children’s retina if misused.
She said: We must know that electronic devices, despite their major role that has become in our lives due to “remote” education, are not the only responsible for children’s vision defects, as some children are born with vision defects, and this is revealed through early diagnosis, to enable Wear the correct size glasses and avoid lazy eyes.
Dr. Maysoon Abu Shaala added: We always recommend visiting a specialist doctor when thinking about correcting vision for children up to the age of sixteen, and if the parents feel the children need to wear glasses, they should not go directly to the eyeglass shops to measure the vision, because unfortunately often wrong measurements occur there, as They do not dilate the pupils with the special medical drops before the measurement, and as a result, the child wears glasses he does not need or wears glasses of the wrong size that may cause him a chronic headache, so he refrains from wearing glasses.

Regarding the most important instructions to avoid the advanced stages of visual impairment in children before it is too late, which often leads to the occurrence of strabismus in the eye, Dr. Maysoon Abu Shaala explained that it is necessary to visit qualified places for correct scientific vision correction, which is in hospitals or specialized clinics, and about By a certified optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Parents must use educational skills with children to motivate them to wear glasses, and be patient with their initial refusal to wear them sometimes. before the age of twenty years.