A new article published in the Optometry Times Journal presents the relationship between myopia and nutrition in general and carbohydrate-rich diets in particular. At the center of the article is the sensational discovery: hyperinsulinemia (excessive secretion of insulin), a condition caused by a carbohydrate-rich diet, accelerates the growth of the white area of the eye (sclera), which contributes to the development of myopia. This is a discovery that should raise a lot of red flags, especially in light of the fact that the human diet consists of a very large consumption of carbohydrates.
Even in Israel, when the average daily sugar content is about 15 teaspoons of sugar, this is a dangerous trend that increases the risk of developing myopia, which is already becoming an epidemic (according to World Health Organization projections that in less than 30 years half the world's population will suffer from myopia).
The Enemy of My Children of the 21st Century: Myopia
Myopia is an eye disease that begins at young ages and is identified during a comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist. It makes distance vision difficult and creates a blurry appearance of distant objects. In addition to the vision problems that myopia brings, it can also lead to squinting, eye fatigue, and the onset of acute headaches.
The importance of early detection,
There are many reasons for the onset of myopia, such as various background diseases, a genetic cause, a routine of life with prolonged exposure to screens, printed or digital texts, and little exposure to natural light. In order to prevent its beauty, it is recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes activities in the natural sunlight outdoors and a healthy diet.
Better early: the importance of early detection
The importance of early detection lies in the fact that children are at increased risk when it comes to myopia, because in the years when the eye develops and grows, it increases the rate of increase in the number.
As a result, children and adolescents are at greater risk than adults of developing myopia in high numbers. High numbers (above 5-6) mean a real risk of developing eye diseases such as glacoma, cataracts, etc. Therefore, it is important to begin at the time of detection of myopia, treatment that will preserve the quality of that child's vision in the future.
While in the past it was only possible to use vision aids such as glasses and contact lenses retroactively, today it is possible to prepare in advance and take preventive measures. "Today there is no need to reach a situation where the number rises and rises and vision deteriorates, in order to begin treatment," notes Ortal Feltshi-Sabag, senior optometrist and director of research at CooperVision. " The deterioration can be treated preventively and the worsening of myopia can be prevented using various technologies such as glasses or contact lenses that slow down the deterioration of vision."
The hottest player of the time, artificial intelligence, is also integrated into the field of innovative vision therapy. An AI-based development recently launched in Israel will help optometrists and ophthalmologists locate, diagnose, and treat cases of vision problems such as myopia. The development, a system called Ocumetra, uses artificial intelligence to predict patients' future state of vision, warn of visual hazards, visually visualize the patient's state of vision, and streamline the treatment of vision problems. Other developments recently launched in Israel are Misight® glasses, which inhibit and can even stop the growth rate of the number.
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