Nearsightedness among children reaches all-time high

The health study on six- to 18-year-olds, conducted by the Department of Health’s Bureau of Health Promotion in collaboration with the National Taiwan University Hospital, attributed the deterioration to today’s living environment, where long hours in front of computers, televisions, and video games have become the norm.

As children grow older, their vision deteriorates even further. The number of sixth graders with nearsighted vision also increased dramatically — from 28 percent 20 years ago to 68 percent last year.

By the time students reach the third year of junior high school, the percentage of those with nearsightedness increases to 77 percent. By the senior year of high school, 85 percent require corrective glasses.

Wu Pei-chang, an ophthalmologist with the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, told the United Evening News that contrary to what many people think, the high incidence of myopia is no longer isolated to cities, but has spread to remote areas along with the increased popularity of computers.

To prevent children from developing or aggravating exiting nearsightedness, Wu suggests the following: Ensure sufficient lighting when reading, maintain at least 35 centimeters from reading materials, rest 10 minutes for every 30 minutes of reading, and watch television from a distance of at least three meters for no more than one hour a day.

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