The prevalence of nearsightedness or myopia has been increasing worldwide in recent decades. Nowadays, it is an epidemic in the industrial world. This prevalence mainly stems from changes in behavior and lifestyle. Contact lenses and eyeglasses show only slight results when it comes to preventing this eye condition.
Headaches caused by eyestrain.
Blurry vision when looking at objects that are far away.
Difficulty seeing while driving, especially at night.
Need to partially close your eyelids or squint to see clearly.
Also known as nearsightedness, myopia is one of the most common vision conditions. People with this vision problem can clearly see objects that are near them. Objects that are further away, however, tend to be blurry. Myopia occurs when the eye’s shape causes light rays to refract or bend incorrectly. Instead of focusing images on the retina, this refraction focuses them in front of the retina.
This condition may develop rapidly or gradually. It often worsens during adolescence and childhood. Myopia tends to run in families, and it only requires a simple eye exam to confirm. To compensate for the blur, you can use contact lenses, eyeglasses, or refractive surgery.
Myopia control or management describes the field of childhood eye care concerned with slowing down the worsening of myopia, or nearsightedness, which happens in childhood. Myopia often occurs during childhood. Eye doctors often diagnose it in kids in their early school years. Some of the symptoms of a child with this eye condition include:
Frequent rubbing of the eyes.
Persistent squint.
Blinking excessively.
Seeming to be unaware of distant objects.
Needing to sit at the front of the classroom or closer to the television.
One in two people has myopia. According to studies, this eye condition is becoming more common in kids. Research suggests that kids who spend more time indoors engaging in near-focused activities, such as video games and computer work, have higher rates of nearsightedness than those who spend more of their time outdoors. However, there is no proven direct link for this assumption.
Doctors are looking for effective ways to control and slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. While this condition is irreversible, the goal of early control of myopia in children is to keep it from worsening. This can help protect children’s eye health as they grow up, even though they will still need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses.
You can also take certain steps to slow the progression of this eye condition. For example, encourage your child to spend more time outdoors and limit his/her screen time on television, computers, and any other digital devices. When you find the right balance between outdoor time and screen time, you will help control your little one’s myopia. This will protect his/her vision as he/she grows older.
For more about the importance of starting myopia control early, visit Blue Hills Eye Associates at our offices in Braintree, Massachusetts. You can also call (781) 794-2200 to schedule an appointment today.