On September 16, the Stroll Magazine Junior Writers had the opportunity to interview the Wildwood Vision specialists. First, they met Dr. Kim, an optometrist, who introduced the growing concern of myopia (nearsightedness) among children in 2025. She explained that this increase is due to children spending most of their time on screens, which trains the brain to focus on short distances, making it harder to see far away. Ria Bhatnagar, Tara Resident, explained that Dr. Kim "broke it down into easy-to-understand examples and explained things nicely."

The first activity involved measuring eye length using the IOL (Intra Ocular Lens) Master, a machine that uses light to determine the length of the eye. The Junior Writers measured their eyes, graphed the results, and calculated the average eye length. The ideal eye length is 23.5 mm, but three out of eight participants had above-normal eye lengths, and one had a below-normal measurement.

Dhwani Vivek, Wilderness Resident said, "It was super cool that we got to see how long our eyes were and how optometrists can use machines to figure out length of our eyes."

Next, the Junior Writers participated in an engaging activity where they launched silicone eyes onto a poster while learning about the parts of the eye. These include the pupil, iris, sclera, extraocular muscles (EOM), and the optic nerve. After exploring eye anatomy, they examined a trial lens kit containing every possible combination of lenses used to correct vision. They also learned about contact lenses—thin, curved lenses placed directly on the surface of the eye to improve eyesight. "We learned how doctors check if someone needs glasses and I even got to touch contact lenses." Parv Wankhede of Wilderness explained. 

Dr. Kim emphasized that while genetics influence vision, environmental factors play a more significant role. Melanin, a brownish pigment, determines the color of the iris. The six main iris colors are brown, blue, green, amber, hazel, and grey. A fun fact shared during the session: all blue-eyed people share a common ancestor who lived between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago.

The Junior Writers had an amazing time at the Wildwood Vision Specialists Center and gained valuable knowledge about eye health and ways to care for their vision.