VISTA, in a collaboration with Hoya Vision Care and Vision Space Optometrists (Vision Space), will be sharing with the public, via Facebook Live Webinar on 25 June 2020 8pm titled 'Addressing our Children's Sight: Controlling the progress of Short-Sightedness in the Era of Digitalization', focusing on the impact of kid's shortsightedness, how parents can help kids with lifestyle tweaks, clinical methods or special contact lenses and glasses.

"In this era of digitalization, especially since the Covid-19 lockdown, we see more kids with increasing shortsightedness (myopia) due to online classes and the increasing use of digital devices to pacify or occupy kids while parents work from home," says VISTA Eye Specialist (VISTA) consultant ophthalmologist, Dr Vienne Tai.

A rising issue worldwide, short-sightedness has become a major health issue for kids. Research shows that 70% to 87% of Asian school children and young adults have myopia.

"The progression of myopia is growing at an alarming rate from the current global prevalence of 30% to 50% by 2050 - close to a 5 billion population³," says Dr. Vienne. "Many don't realize that increasing shortsightedness doesn't mean only the changing of glasses," says Dr. Vienne. "The risks of certain eye diseases increase exponentially with myopia, such as glaucoma and retinal detachment."