Press release
No Rest for the Weary Eyes: A Pandemic of Increased Near-Vision Use for Canadian Children(1) – CooperVision Survey
Optimal children’s eye health will require summer outdoor activities, less near work and regular check-ins. TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- While the horizon of a
About this update from The Cooper Companies, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nOptimal children’s eye health will require summer outdoor activities, less near work and regular check-ins.\n\n TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nWhile the horizon of a return to normal seems less distant, a new survey by CooperVision Canada and Maru/Blue1 suggests that the pandemic may have generated near-vision habits, which according to experts could have an impact on the eye health of Canadian children, including myopia2. More commonly called nearsightedness, myopia is the inability to see objects clearly at a distance and can be worsened by the overuse of near vision3 and the lack of natural light4. There are things parents and children can do to make sure those pandemic vision habits don’t stick.\n\nNear vision activities include things like prolonged time spent on screens, reading or writing. According to the survey, nearly six-in-ten (59 per cent) Canadian parents reported their children under 14 were spending more time doing activities that require their near vision compared to before the pandemic1. Among them, 27 per cent even indicated this extra time exceeded five hours a day, while nearly half (47 per cent) said their children would spend an extra three to four hours a day on nearsighted activities5‡. While near vision has been associated with higher incidences of developing myopia3, the changes in lifestyle and screen consumption resulting from the pandemic could pose long-term concerns for Canadian children's eye health2.\n\n“Since the pandemic, children have been spending more time inside relying on their near vision more and more for everyday activities, including online learning, connecting with friends and family and entertainment. As the pandemic and this dependency on online activities persists, we are finding that these activities may be contributing to eye strain and possibly resulting in myopia. What we should make sure of, is that these new near-vision habits do not become the new norm,” said Dr. Debbie Jones, Clinical Professor of Optometry at the University of Waterloo and Clinical Scientist at the Centre for Ocular Research & Education. “While late or undetected childhood myopia can lead to even bigger problems later in life6 such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinal degeneration7, it can be difficult for parents to spot symptoms of myopia early on, as children would have no point of comparison to be able t...