National Centre for Optics, Vision and Eye Care, Department of Optometry, Radiography and Lighting Design, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg, Norway.
BMC Pediatr. 2022 Jul 13;22(1):416. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03465-1.
Lifestyle behaviour in children and adolescents has become increasingly sedentary and occupied with digital work. Concurrently, there has been an increase in the prevalence of headache, neck- and low back pain, which are leading causes of disability globally. Extensive near work and use of digital devices are demanding for both the visual system and the upper body head-stabilizing musculature. Uncorrected vision problems are present in up to 40% of Nordic school children, and a lack of corrective eye wear may cause eyestrain, musculoskeletal pain and headache. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between laboured reading, musculoskeletal pain, uncorrected vision, and lifestyle behaviours in children and adolescents.
This was a cross-sectional study with a total of 192 Norwegian school children aged 10-11 and 15-16 years. As a part of a school vision testing program, the children completed an online questionnaire about general and ocular health, socioeconomic status, academic ambition, near work and related symptoms, upper body musculoskeletal pain, and physical and outdoor activities.
The 15-16-year-olds had a more indoor, sedentary, digital-based lifestyle with higher academic demands, compared with the 10-11-year-olds. Concurrently, reading became more laboured and upper body musculoskeletal pain increased with age. Girls reported more symptoms, higher academic ambitions, and more time spent on schoolwork and reading, compared with boys. Non-compliance in wearing prescribed eye wear (glasses or contact lenses), increased use of near digital devices, and experiencing visual stress (glare) were positively associated with laboured reading and upper body musculoskeletal pain.
A screen-based lifestyle with high academic demands challenges the ability to sustain long hours of static, intensive near work. Extensive near work tires the visual system and upper body musculature and provokes laboured reading and musculoskeletal pain symptoms. This study emphasizes the importance of regular eye examinations in school children, and the need to raise awareness among children, parents, and school- and health personnel about the importance of optimal vision and visual environment for academic performance and health.
儿童和青少年的生活方式越来越久坐不动，且沉迷于数字工作。与此同时，头痛、颈痛和腰痛的患病率也在上升，这些疾病是全球范围内导致残疾的主要原因。大量的近距离工作和使用数字设备对视觉系统和头部稳定的上半身肌肉都有很高的要求。在北欧的学童中，高达 40%的人存在未矫正的视力问题，而缺乏矫正视力可能会导致眼睛疲劳、肌肉骨骼疼痛和头痛。本研究旨在调查儿童和青少年中阅读困难、肌肉骨骼疼痛、未矫正视力与生活方式行为之间的关系。
这是一项横断面研究，共有 192 名 10-11 岁和 15-16 岁的挪威在校儿童参与。作为学校视力测试计划的一部分，孩子们在线完成了一份关于一般和眼部健康、社会经济地位、学业抱负、近距离工作及相关症状、上半身肌肉骨骼疼痛以及身体和户外活动的问卷。
与 10-11 岁的孩子相比，15-16 岁的孩子有更多的室内、久坐、基于数字的生活方式，且学业要求更高。与此同时，阅读变得更加费力，上半身肌肉骨骼疼痛随着年龄的增长而增加。与男孩相比，女孩报告的症状更多，学业抱负更高，花在学校作业和阅读上的时间也更多。不遵守佩戴规定的眼镜或隐形眼镜、增加使用近距离数字设备以及出现视觉疲劳（眩光）与阅读困难和上半身肌肉骨骼疼痛呈正相关。
高学术要求的屏幕为基础的生活方式挑战了长时间维持静态、密集近距离工作的能力。大量的近距离工作会使视觉系统和上半身肌肉疲劳，导致阅读困难和肌肉骨骼疼痛症状。本研究强调了定期对学童进行眼部检查的重要性，以及需要提高儿童、家长以及学校和卫生人员对最佳视力和视觉环境对学习成绩和健康的重要性的认识。
