Changes in Optometry over 41 Years

Submitted Photo (left) Rotarian Dr. Kevin Childers and Vandalia Rotary President Justin Rubin

Dr. Kevin Childers entertained and enlightened Rotarians with his July 2, 2024 program by highlighting the changes in eye care over his years as an optometrist. The biggest change since he started his practice in 1983 is the explosion of nearsightedness (myopia) especially in school age children. Kevin’s experience and scientific studies have shown that in 1979, when he started optometry school, the incidence of myopia in the general population was 25%. Now the rate is 42%. Myopia also leads to earlier cataracts and glaucoma.
He said a possible solution to myopia is to spend more time outdoors in natural light. Other big changes on eye care include eye implants and contact lenses. He also mentioned questions that he has addressed: Question: Can I put my contacts in my mouth to clean them? Answer: NO! There are more bacteria in your mouth than in the toilet. Question: Does eye color affect vision? Answer: No, there is only one eye color and it is the determined by the pigment melanin in the front of the iris. People with brown eyes have lots of melanin while blue-eyed people have less melanin and it does not affect vision. Question: What
is your pet peeve? Answer: “Fakers: kids who want glasses and purposely mess up their eye test… or vice versa.