Back to School 2018

Vision Problems Affect School Performance – Moorfields Experts Advise a Balance of Screen and Outdoor Time and Regular Eye Checks

DUBAI, UAE, September 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Around one quarter of school age children have some form of vision problem, with more children and young people wearing glasses and contact lenses. Research shows that children who have a vision problem literally lose focus on their work and this can affect their performance and development, as a result. As families across the region prepare for another school year, this is the perfect time to consider their children's vision – a vital part of their school performance.

     (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/737762/Dr_Darakhshanda_Khurram.jpg )

This "Back to School" experts at Moorfields Dubai are highlighting the importance of healthy vision, whatever stage of education a child has reached. From KG to Grade 12, this is the time of year to make sure children are ready for their learning and studies – this is especially important for younger children (8 years and under) because there is a unique opportunity to correct any vision defects before this age.

According to Dr. Darakhshanda Khurram, Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, around one quarter of school-age children have some form of vision problem, such as short sightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, colour blindness, lazy eye or genetic diseases. Many of these problems begin well before school age and can go undetected, and so screening at an early age is an important part of the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment process.

Dr. Khurram recommends three steps for healthy school-ready vision:

1. Manage screen time for kids 

Tablets and smartphones can help with hand-eye coordination and for the stimulation of neurons in the brain. However, they also have bright screens and these can create side effects such as dryness of the eyes, eyestrain, blurry vision, focusing issues, and headaches. Kids stare at screens intensively and don't blink as much while using devices and so tears don't spread across the eyes leading to dryness. Parents should try to limit the screen time for kids to no more than 20 minutes at a time to protect the eyes and vision of their children.