Pixabay/Daniela Dimitrova
17 August 2023
The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) has launched its second annual UK campaign promoting awareness of myopia and options for its management.
The Sight Sanctuary campaign educates parents about childhood myopia while also encouraging families to take a break from near work and spend time outdoors.
The campaign is supported by influencers in a range of roles, including optometrist, Hamza Mussa, GP, Dr Punam Krishan and parent, Kimberley Walsh.
Research commissioned by GMAC found that more than half (52%) of children today play outside less than their parents did when they were young.
Close to one in three parents (31%) believe that their children are addicted to screens, while 54% said that they would like their children spending less time watching television, playing video games or interacting with a tablet.
More than four in 10 (45%) of parents were unaware that high levels of screen time can have a negative impact on eye health, while 51% did not know that spending time outdoors can delay short-sightedness.
The GMAC is an advisory board under the World Council of Optometry. It has run public awareness campaigns on myopia in the US since 2019, and launched its first UK campaign in 2022.
The Sight Sanctuary campaign educates parents about childhood myopia while also encouraging families to take a break from near work and spend time outdoors.
The campaign is supported by influencers in a range of roles, including optometrist, Hamza Mussa, GP, Dr Punam Krishan and parent, Kimberley Walsh.
Research commissioned by GMAC found that more than half (52%) of children today play outside less than their parents did when they were young.
Close to one in three parents (31%) believe that their children are addicted to screens, while 54% said that they would like their children spending less time watching television, playing video games or interacting with a tablet.
More than four in 10 (45%) of parents were unaware that high levels of screen time can have a negative impact on eye health, while 51% did not know that spending time outdoors can delay short-sightedness.
The GMAC is an advisory board under the World Council of Optometry. It has run public awareness campaigns on myopia in the US since 2019, and launched its first UK campaign in 2022.
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Frank Eperjesi17 August 2023
Yes but what about the link between sunlight (especially blue light) and AMD? Are children being advised to wear sunglasses when outside? The crystalline lens of young child has no protective yellow pigment so more blue light gets through to the macula than in an adult eye. Are we swapping a myopia pandemic for an AMD pandemic?
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