MANILA, Philippines — An ophthalmologist warned Filipino parents that they should cut the time of gadget use among their children as myopia or nearsightedness is becoming a common eye problem in the Philippines and in Asia.
In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com, Dr. David William Hornfield said myopia has become an epidemic in Asia due to frequent gadget use.
“The common eye problem in the Philippines and in Asia now is myopia and then there’s myopia with astigmatism. Myopia really means near-sighted, which means they can see near but they can’t see far away. It’s mainly become an epidemic in Asia due to the use of LEDs, computer screens and cellphones,” said Hornfield, who is backed by decades of experience as an eye expert.
The ophthalmologist said common myopia symptoms include children being unable to see things from afar.
“The symptom is the patients can’t see far away. These people don’t get too many headaches at all. It’s just the facts that their visions are blurry in distance, (but when) near, they’re fine,” he explained.
For its treatment, Hornfield said it’s better to test the child’s eye immediately for the child to get the proper glasses for him.
“The treatment mainly is glasses or contact lenses. Even in children, we fit contact lenses. It’s depends on the child and how they can take care of the contact themselves,” he said.
Hornfield recently graced the opening of Vision Express Kids at the third floor of Greenbelt 5 in Makati City. The eyewear center exclusively distributes Ray-Ban Junior for kids and teens; as well as Guess Kids' Colorpop and Eyecandy collections and soon the in-house brand Tony Morgan for children 17 and below. The center takes pride of its seven-step eye exam with the second pair of eyewear always for free.
When asked for the best diet he can recommend to properly take care of the eyes, Hornfield said green leafy vegetables and food rich in Vitamin A are ideal for good eyesight.
“(Scientists) found out that the best diet (for good eyesight are) green leafy vegetables and also food that have Vitamin A in it like cheese, chicken liver and other foods that are really good for you,” he said.
Apart from diet, one should also control one's gadget use, he reminded.
“I think that the amount (of gadget use) should be just a couple of hours (a day) and that’s it. We believe that we’re dealing a little bit too much on our gadgets only because in school, we’re using these gadgets also." — Video by Deni Bernardo, editing by Erwin Cagadas Jr.