Increase of younger residents experiencing symptoms of presbyopia

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A trend in the deterioriation of eyesight at a younger age was the worrying conclusion of a survey conducted by the Ophthalmological Society.

Experts urge the public not to ignore symptoms and take special care when they are looking at their phones for long periods.

Presbyopia, a condition that results in blurry vision that's often associated with old age, is becoming increasingly common among Hongkongers aged below 40.

In a joint survey conducted between August and September by Orbis and the Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society, 42 percent of those aged below 40 said they experienced symptoms akin to early stages of presbyopia, such as worsened eyesight in the dark and difficulty reading smaller text.

Close to 50 percent of all those surveyed said they used their mobile phones for more than four hours a day, while 83 percent said they would read or use their mobile phones in the dark.

This as some ophthalmic experts believe the rising number of younger individuals experiencing such symptoms stems primarily from the increased use of electronic products.

Dr. ALEX NG, Honorary Secretary, Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society: "Some of the reasons we believe is, first, how we use our eyes. Nowadays, 50 percent of people are using their (phone) screens 
more than four hours per day. It causes the lens and muscles to focus on a 'near' point for a long time. The second bad habit is when they try to look at the screen or read when the surrounding lighting is very dim. This is not good for the eye. You should let your eyes rest more often if you are using your phone a lot."

Dr. Ng reminded residents the necessity of changing their glasses over the years to accommodate their presbyopia progression.

He added the public should come to normalise the condition as inevitable and address the issue properly.