Preventing myopia is possible, at least partially, thanks to a healthier lifestyle and spending more time outdoors from childhood

More than 1.4 billion people in the world are short-sighted and their numbers seem destined to increase: half of the world’s population is likely to become short-sighted by 2050 [precisely 48%, equal to 4.76 billion inhabitants]]. These are the numbers quoted by Ophthalmology in its [editorial of March 2018. It is estimated that today, approximately one third (33.6%) of Europeans aged 50 to 54 years are affected by myopia.

Can something be done to prevent myopia or at least slow down its progression? The answer is: yes. In fact, excluding genetic factors, we can work on improving lifestyles: “There is strong evidence that greater time spent outdoors is associated with a lower incidence of myopia”.

It is also necessary to promote “exercise, fitness, reduced screen time, and weight control”. In short, more open air and less pixels… Such a lifestyle should be followed from childhood, as exposure to natural light helps prevent the excessive lengthening of the eyeball.

The authors of the article – all Americans [[medical researchers working in California (Eye Monitoring Center), in Boston (Harvard Medical School and Department of Ophthalmology) and in Maryland (National Eye Institute)]] – write that the risks of major complications incurred by people with high myopia, range from retinal detachment to glaucoma, and include cataracts, choroidal neovascularization, optic neuritis, staphyloma and myopic macular degeneration.

Read also: “Giovani meno miopi all’aria aperta” (Young less myopic in the open air)

Main Source: Ophthalmology

The main protagonists are teachers, students of primary schools and their families. Registration is already open: the deadline is 30th April 2019

The prevention campaign “Open Your Eyes!” (“Apri gli Occhi!” in Italian) is now available in schools in a digital format, in order to “enlighten” pupils, teachers and parents about eye care and the importance of sight.

In the 2018-2019 school year, the campaign is based on an innovative formula once again: everything takes place on a multimedia platform geared mainly towards teachers, as in the previous school year. The objective is to help protect eye health through teaching.

Families and students of primary schools and those in the last year of nursery schools can request that teachers adopt the project. The new deadline for the “Trivia” prize competition is 30th April 2019. [[Participants can register immediately and classes can play until 30th April 2019. Each registered class will have the opportunity to play 3 times (10 questions each time). At the end of the competition, the system will automatically take into consideration only the best performances (highest number of correct answers, in the shortest time); in this way, children will feel encouraged to do their best. The online challenge must always be mediated by the teacher]]

The inter-school competition will take place among the classes that have participated in the game-based training (10 questions each time out of a total of a hundred, in order to effectively simulate the final online challenge), a new version of which was released on 8th November 2018. In the final phase, classes will have to answer ten randomly selected multiple choice questions among those that had been proposed during the training.

The initiative, which has been conceived by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness-IAPB Italy, is managed by CivicaMente: it is aimed primarily at children aged 5 to 11 years old, so as to teach them about prevention of vision disorders in an enjoyable way. Thanks to the “Apri gli Occhi!” campaign, you can download the educational multimedia and read additional in-depth informative materials, which are useful for school lessons.

The teaching tools, which are free of charge, that are available to teachers and their classes are, in particular, the following:

• the DIGITAL cartoon lesson;
• the MULTIMEDIA TRAINING QUIZ;
• the TRIVIA QUIZ PRIZE COMPETITION.

By visiting the Italian competition’s website, teachers can download the material and register their accounts. Children will then have until 30th April 2019 to prepare for the challenge and try to win the prize: a supply of school materials, which is worth 250 euros.

In conclusion, the prevention of visual impairment can be “switched on” through educational and fun activities. You can ask any teacher to take part in the “Apri gli Occhi!” campaign.

Useful links: Concorso Trivia

In two Italian towns, San Benedetto del Tronto and San Severino, free check-ups were available for everyone

The “Caravan of Health” – consisting of several Mobile Ophthalmology Units – has concluded its Marche appointments, providing free eye examinations on board the hi-tech campervans of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness-IAPB Italy. The examinations took place in San Benedetto del Tronto on 8th July and in San Severino on 9th July 2018.

THE MARCHE TOUR

Thanks to the various associations and doctors that participated in the initiative – a collaboration between IAPB Italy, Susan G. Komen Italy, the A. Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital Foundation, the Red Cross and Amplifon – it was possible to receive not only an eye examination, but also a mammography, a clinical breast examination and an ultrasound scan. Auditory checks were also available in San Benedetto. In total, over 600 free examinations were carried out at the two events.

KEEPING AN EYE ON YOUR LIFESTYLE – IT ALSO HELPS SIGHT

The campaign was presented on 2nd July at the City Hall of St. Benedetto del Tronto and was promoted by the Federazione Nazionale Pensionati (FNP-CISL), one of Italy’s retired workers’ unions.

In addition to local authorities, Michele Corcio (Vice-president of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness-IAPB Italy) and Mario Canale (General Secretary of FNP Marche) also participated in the event.[[Coordinated by Maria Trentin, National Women’s Coordination of FNP-CISL and concluded by Loreno Coli, Assistant General Secretary of the National FNP-CISL]]

Mr. Corcio said on that occasion:

Our individual behavior also determines the onset or progress of certain pathologies. Therefore public institutions must invest in more and better prevention campaigns, because in doing so, significant savings on public spending can be achieved. […] Citizens are advised to obtain scientifically correct information. [[For example, by contacting the toll free number 800-068506 (an ophthalmologist will answer) active from Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm.]] […] We must pay attention to diabetic retinopathy, as it is linked to our diet, our lifestyle.

Giulio Grazioli, Regional Secretary of FNP-CISL Marche, observed at the conclusion of the presentation that:

The high turnout of people for this initiative shows the importance of health and prevention. A theme that has always been a priority for us, and one to which we will continue to stay committed through the implementation of local policies, with the aim of raising awareness in people of all ages, especially in pensioners, in order to convince them of the need to take care of themselves.

The screenings carried out during the “Caravan of Health” did not only represent a message to promote the culture of prevention: from some examinations, symptoms have emerged, such as the identification of nodules, which require further close study and are concrete evidence of the importance of taking care of and monitoring our own health.

Source: CISL Pensioners