Internet to blame for growth in vision correction demand   |   30.03.2010

The growth in demand for vision correction in the western world - including corrective laser surgery and alternative non-surgical procedures - can be explained by the proliferation of the internet, it has been claimed.

According to US ophthalmologists and specialist in corrective eye surgery Dr Thomas Tooma, the number of people suffering from myopia in the country has increased from 25 per cent in the 1970s to more than 40 percent in 2010.

He claimed that the rapid growth in short-sightedness - and the resultant increase in demand for vision correction techniques including alternatives to laser eye surgery - can be accounted for by the huge rise in the number of people using the world wide web.

"Our propensity for searching on the Internet and texting on our BlackBerrys has us using our eyes to see near objects quite a bit more," Dr Tooma said.

He added that while this was not the only factor affecting the rate of myopia in the western world - with genetic propensity and a lack of outdoor activity also playing a major role in the deterioration of people's vision - it was undoubtedly adding to the problem myopia poses to modern, industrialised nations.

In a recent study conducted by the National Eye Institute, author and eye expert Susan Vitale claimed that while myopia can be treated easily - for example with i-GO's Ortho K corrective contact lenses - when a large proportion of a population suffer from the condition the healthcare costs related to vision correction can be considerable.

Ortho K lenses - which are worn overnight and gently reshape a person's eyes while they sleep, correcting vision and doing away with the need for daily contact lenses or glasses - are a cheaper, safer alternative to laser eye surgery.

The contact lenses have many of the benefits of surgery but none of the potentially permanent side effects.

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