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Shortsighted


                                                        TECHNOLOGY
                                                   by




















                                                       Making Contact

                                                    By Shirley Ha, BSc. (Hons), O.D.


                                          ith stay-at-home orders in effect during the COVID-19 epidemic,
                                          there  is  mounting  concern  about  the  increased  amount  of  time
                                          children are spending on computers/tablets and handheld devices.
                                          Whether they’re playing video games, using social media or being
                             Wschooled online, this increased screen exposure is contributing to
                             another epidemic: the global myopia epidemic.

                             Young, developing eyes, especially  ACCOMMODATION
                             myopes who wear contact lenses,   It is well known that accommodation
                             are the most vulnerable. They are   demands vary, depending on whether
                             experiencing secondary side effects—  the ametropia is corrected with contact
                             especially  at  near,  such  as  subtle,   lenses or glasses. In myopes, during
                             intermittent diplopia or blur from   extensive near activities, there is a greater
                             undiagnosed binocular vision dysfunc-  increase in accommodation when
                             tions—that are often overlooked by  wearing contact lenses than glasses.
                             eyecare professionals.            This is due to the perception of the
                                                               near target being closer to the eye. As
                             A systematic approach to understanding   the eyes use up the accommodative
                             the foundations of binocular vision and  reserves with prolonged viewing, and
                             diagnosing related abnormalities can  as the accommodative insufficiency or
                             help  slow  or  halt  the  progression of   inhibition becomes habituated over
                             myopia and improve the quality of   time, the monocular accommodation
                             vision and life for everyone.     amplitude testing, such as with Sheardʻs,


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