Villa in Ariano Irpino
Shortsightedness, by now , it is spreading more and more in almost all the countries in the world, reaching, in some of them, very high peaks, so that researchers have to deal this worrying problem.
Shortsightedness diffusion rate reached 90% values in teenagers and young adults from China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is not better in west, in fact in USA shortsightednesspredominance has gone from 25% to 40% in last 20 years, and in Europe this is following the same growth trend. Which are the causes of this event, and how can we retain it?
As it is commonly known, the shortsighted eye’s difficulty is in vision from far away , to the detriment of a good vision from close distance. This refractive defect is caused by the major length of the eye, whereby the images are being developed before retina, causing out of focus vision from far distance.
The progressive increase of shortsightedness prevalence, induced the scientific research to study the event and in few years the researchers have understood the causes. The studies have been about the various correction methods (glasses with bifocal or progressive lenses, contact lenses, and medicines).
To spend more time in open air during the childhood protects eyes against shortsightedness, as shown by the working equipe of Donald Mutti at Optomerty College from Ohio State University in 2007 and by Kathryn Rose from University of Sidney, the following year. Even if processes aren’t still so clear, this protective effect is due to simple sun exposure that encourages the dopamine release, slowing the ocular bulb growth.
Deeper studies carried out in China, Australia and Taiwan in the schools where daily activities at open air were introduced during school time, showed that kids who spend more time in open air, are protected against occurrence of shortsightedness.
From theory to practise, the passage is tough. The first attempts made inAustralia, came out to be a sort of failure because families cannot handle in an adequate way the time to be spent at open air. To solve the problem, the matter could be given to schools, that would introduce in their programs the activities to be done in open air, to alternate to those done in closed spaces.
This solution will bring many benefits, starting from the physical activities incentive, to body reinforcement, to reduction of children obesity.
Read also:
- China: 90% of population is shortsighted
- Vision as a primary necessity
- It is true.. Studying makes you shortsighted
- Vitamins and eyes well-being (Vitamin B2 and C)
