Kanika G is a mother and the author of the Tania series of books, a series she started to entertain her daughter. In the Tania series, Kanika writes the experiences of a schoolgirl named Tania and uses simple everyday experiences for the plots that, though completely fictitious, could very well be true. Her daughter is her biggest critic and helps her with constructive criticism. Writing the books has helped mother and daughter bond and spend a lot of time together.Â
A while back I read a disturbing article about the surge of myopia in children in recent times. It inspired me to write a children’s story on the subject. For a long time it was believed that genetics and bookish behaviour resulted in this condition. However genetics fail to account for this sudden and monumental increase in myopia, and studies show that bookishness or use of gadgets has insufficient correlation with myopia to be a satisfactory explanation.
The interesting thing is that, this study did find something that does indeed show a strong correlation with myopia. And that is time spent outdoors. But this is not time spent outdoors participating in sporting activities, athletics or exercise. It simply depends on time spent outdoors in the day time.
The scientists hypothesised that exposure to bright light during the day helped prevent myopia. Their theory was that human eyes have evolved to expect a day and night cycle. During the day the dopamine levels of the eye increase, inhibiting the growth of the eyeball and preventing myopia.
However if people do not go out much during the day, they deprive their eyes of exposure to bright light, causing eyeballs to elongate resulting in myopia. Their theory was tested using bright indoor lighting and artificial dopamine injections on chicks. While there is some skepticism, the theory seems to be a likely candidate to explain the sudden surge of myopia.
I find it difficult to have the kids spend a long time outside during the school year as a large part of the day is spent at school. But the summer months seem like an ideal time to expose them to the outdoors. The problem however is, that summers in Mumbai are so hot, that the kids are reluctant to be out for long.
So here are some suggestions:
Cool off in an outdoor pool: Outdoor pools are the perfect place to play in the sun during the hot summer months. They don’t have to be swimming the whole time. They could just be playing ball or floating around. If they haven’t learned to swim yet they can get comfortable with the water so when they decide to learn they won’t fear the water.
Beaches: My kids love to spend time building sand castles, sand cakes, sand subways and many more sand structures. The beach is wide open and has a strong breeze. So it does not feel as hot. And as soon as the kids start to feel too hot they can always cool off in the conveniently located nearby sea.
Hill Stations: A hill station is an ideal place for a vacation in the summer months. They are cool enough that the kids can enjoy trekking, climbing trees, boating, horseback riding etc. During a hill station vacation it may be a good idea to do a few picnic lunches or even play board games on a mat outside, because it is not about what you do outside, but just that you spend time there.
Solar Robot: My daughter got a solar robot as a birthday present. It had to be assembled and that in itself was a fun activity.  The solar robot has no batteries. It runs on a photoelectric cell. When the sunlight falls on the solar panel, electricity is generated which causes the motor to run. As a result the robot rolls along on its wheels. It is great way to get technophiles outside.
As I watch my children spend their summer outside I am  reminded of how it influences the growth of their eyeballs. This summer, while you obsess over taking care of skin and hair, remember to spare a thought for the eyes too!
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Rati Ramadas Girish
KSP Team
Vaishnavi Venkatraman
