Jakarta, Oct. 9 -- Former Indonesian Health Minister Nila Djuwita Moeloek on Thursday warned of a sharp increase in vision disorders among elementary school children, attributing the surge to extended screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a public event in Jakarta, Nila said children spent more time studying from home and using digital devices during lockdowns, leading to prolonged near-focus activities that contribute to myopia, or the elongation of the eyeball.

"The human eyeball should be perfectly round with a diameter of about 22 millimeters," Nila explained.

"But excessive close-up viewing, poor lighting, and smaller eye sockets can cause it to elongate, making light focus in front of the retina and resulting in b...