(DailyDig.com) – Generation Z, or Zoomers, born between 1997-2012, are facing an increasing concern about an epidemic of blindness. Due to their use of electronic devices for nearly all of their communication, reading, and entertainment, a leading eye surgeon, LEC London’s Dr. Joern Jorgensen, warned that myopia (nearsightedness) is increasing.
Myopia rates in the United Kingdom have seen an increase over almost three decades, reaching 46 percent. A study in the US found an increase of 59 percent in teenagers.
As the Zoomers suffer from increased myopia, an additional lifestyle choice has the medical community concerned that blindness could follow as they age. Many of them stay indoors at school and home because what they need, friends and entertainment, are on their electronic devices, according to Dr. Jorgenson.
He stated that when people lack exposure to sunlight, especially during puberty, they face a decrease in the ability of their bodies to produce vitamin D. Lack of sunlight also affects the body’s dopamine levels, which are necessary for the retina to function properly.
Another issue with electronic devices as it relates to the eyes is that having the screen close to the child’s face causes less blinking. The eye overcompensates by focusing on the screen for hours. Without taking one’s focus from a close distance to a far distance, as happens when outside, the eyeball changes gradually by lengthening, which causes the lens to change, according to Dr. Jorgenson.
He also stated that as myopia increases, the possibility of developing more serious conditions, such as macular degeneration, increases. This condition causes blindness by 41 percent. Other serious conditions include retinal detachment, glaucoma, and cataracts.
Fifty-two percent of children today spend time outdoors at a reduced rate than older generations at the same age, according to the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition.
Dr. Maria Liu, a professor at UC-Berkeley, emphasized the importance of limiting children’s screen time at home and encouraging outdoor play. They must engage with the world outside, play with toys they can hold, and interact with friends.
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