Plano, an app to tackle the myopia epidemic gets 100k+ downloads by Indian parents
India’s smartphone
penetration has been growing at a phenomenal pace, especially in recent years.
Now at a staggering 374,893,000[1] smartphone
users, India has the second-highest number of users in the world, only after
China. In 2021 the figure is expected to almost triple to 829 million[2] smartphone
users. Although the rapid uptake of technology is promising on many fronts,
clinicians and scientists are warning parents of the health risks associated
with excessive smart device use in children.
It has become
increasingly difficult to ignore the correlation between smart device usage and
the prevalence of myopia (short-sightedness). A world leading study conducted
in 2015 reported in The North India Myopia Study (NIM Study)[3] found, on
examining the behavioural risk factors of myopia, a positive association
between the presence of myopia and playing mobile, computer and video games
among children in India. Therefore, with this major study, coupled with
parents’ concerns of their children’s device use, it comes as no surprise that
plano has become an important tool in the global public health domain to curb
the myopia epidemic.
The plano app was developed to combat
the onset of myopia in children. The world’s first science-based eye health app
with the Singapore government’s support, plano combines a suite of smart eye
health and parental help and safety features that aid in cultivating healthier
smart device usage among children. The innovative app empowers parents to
manage their children’s screen time while simultaneously incentivising children
to adopt proper smart device behaviour through its rewards-based system.
The
app runs in the background of smart devices, sending friendly alerts that
recommend good eye care practices, including optimal face to screen distance,
and taking timely eye breaks. plano also screens for myopia by tracking
children’s behaviour patterns that are associated with known myopia risk
factors. These are fed into smart algorithms which generate eye progress
reports that are sent to parents, helping them to ensure that their child gets
timely eye checks.
“The
need for an effective solution to curb myopia progression among children is now
more than ever, a dire one,” says Associate Professor Mo Dirani, Founding
Managing Director of plano. “The nature of the myopia epidemic in present times
is one that necessitates the use of technology as a tool to combat its
excessive use – We have developed plano to do just that.”
plano
is available in India and has generated hundreds of thousands of downloads by
parents. The app is available on both iOS and Android phones and tablets.
About plano
plano® is a health technology company behind the innovative
plano app, an empowering and all-encompassing parental management app developed
to ensure healthy and safe smart device use in children worldwide. Using
cutting-edge technology, science and market research, the plano app encourages
positive behavioural changes in line with better eye and general health,
creating a safe, smart device environment, enabling optimal parental
management. Far from being “anti-tech”, plano aims to guide and teach parents
how to ensure proper smart device usage in their children, protecting both
their sight as well as their general well-being.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Thanveer Ali
Marketing Executive, plano
HP: +65 9008 2972
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