In last few weeks, all major hospitals of capital Raipur including Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are experiencing a rise in cases of cataract cases among children in the age group of 10 to 19 years. Due to numerous digital addiction and high visibility of blue screen on mobile are affecting vision of these children and young people. Owing to it, the urban-oriented district Raipur has registered cases of cataract in all of the hospitals and health centers. In Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, a part of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College Raipur is seeing five to six such cases everyday at hospital. Even children as young as eight to twelve years have also developed cataract and other eye vision problems.

 

Just on Saturday, eye surgeon and team of the hospital have performed cataract surgery of 14-year old boy from Arang Raipur. “This teenager is addicted to mobile and internet. Because of too much addiction in digital mode from last so many years has affected its vision in last three to four years, but he ignored and then it transformed into cataract. The surgery was successful and clearly instructed him to stop the use of mobiles for next few weeks” said Dr Nidhi Pandey, HoD of Ophthalmology Department in medical college.

 

Doctors were of the view that because of digital addiction, time spent outdoors helps protect against cataract and other eye infection like myopia. Natural light helps the retina release dopamine, which regulates eye growth and slow elongation. Dr SK Lal, another ophthalmologist said that digital addiction has not only vision of eyes but causing health issues to other body organs which are connected to eyes. People should make time limit of digital screen for their children. They would also encourage their wards to play outdoor games and expose sunlight.