Myopia Awareness Week 2021

What Is Myopia?

Myopia is the single greatest threat to our children’s vision.

Myopia is an eye condition that results in poor vision in the distance. It is also known as near-sightedness because myopic people can still see things clearly that are close.

In myopic eyes, commonly, the length of the eyeball is longer than it should be, causing images of objects from distance to be focused in front of rather than on the light sensitive layer of the eye, also known as retina. At Heron Eyecare we are able to measure the length of your eye to manage the eye growth in myopia. 

What causes myopia?

Both genetics and environmental factors play a role, however the significant increase in the number of myopic people in the recent years is attributed to environmental risk factors. Studies from across the world have indicated that less time outdoors and longer time on near based activities (for example reading or screen time) could play a role in the development of myopia.

How common is it?

On average, 30% of the world is currently myopic and based on current trends, it is estimated that by 2050, almost 50% will be myopic. That’s a staggering 5 billion people.

What are the signs of myopia?

The most obvious sign of myopia is that objects in the distance appear blurry. Some children may report headaches and/or eye fatigue caused by the eyes straining to focus. Myopia usually develops during childhood, so parents should start to check behaviours, such as sitting too close to the television, holding screens close to the face or squinting when looking at objects. Observant teachers may also notice children who have difficulty reading the blackboard.

Does it progress?

Myopia often progressed through childhood and at times into teenage years and early adulthood. Progression is recognised by distance vision getting blurry in spite of correction.

How is it treated and can we slow progression?

Although corrective lenses (spectacles and contact lenses) are the traditional way to treat myopia, they do not help stop the progression of myopia. Recent research indicates that traditional corrective lenses may, in fact, make myopia worse. The intent of myopia prevention is to stop lengthening of the eyeball through drug therapy (eye drops that restrict focussing) or by specialty multifocal spectacle or contact lenses that defocus the image in the periphery (moving it in front of the retina rather than behind). At Heron Eyecare we are able to prescribe all the most effective and medically advanced treatment suitable for each person. 

Are there complications?

Most people with mild to moderate myopia won’t experience any complications. However, high myopia, requiring a lens of -6.00 diopters or more, or eyes longer than 26mm comes with risks of complications. People with high myopia have an increased risk of retinal detachment, cataracts, myopic degeneration and glaucoma, which can all cause vision loss. People with high myopia should discuss with one of our optometrists about the warning signs for these conditions, and ensure they have comprehensive eye health examinations regularly.

Can myopia be prevented?

As myopia is often hereditary, it cannot be completely prevented. However, new research suggests ways to slow the progression of the condition, especially in children. The condition may be delayed or prevented by spending less time on devices and more time outside, possibly due to increased exposure to sunlight or the need to look into the far distance regularly. While myopia cannot be completely prevented, it can be treated through the use of corrective lenses – multifocal glasses or contacts – and through drug therapies (eye drops) that restrict focussing.

For parents

There are simple strategies you can put in place to help prevent your child from developing myopia. From introducing device breaks and encouraging outside play time, you can improve the environmental factors that we know play a crucial role in the prevention or development of myopia.

As a vocal supporter, you can educate your friends and family about the risks of myopia, becoming an influential factor in the healthcare of your community.

Protect Your Child's Eyes

90% of myopia cases will develop in early childhood.

The good news is that we can protect our children's vision now!

Parents play a big role in the health of their children’s eyes. Current research indicates that genetic and environmental factors contribute to whether a child will be myopic or not as well as in the progression of myopia.

So, while we cannot change their genetics, it is useful to know that environment plays a significant role in myopia and therefore, we can use a few simple strategies that will help protect their vision.

#1 – Get Children Outside!

An increase in time outdoors of about 2 hours per day significantly reduces the risk of developing myopia.

So, get your child outside to play! Encourage them to look around and use that full range of vision every day.

#2 – Put The Device Down!

Spending too much time indoors and performing a lot of near vision work without a break (e.g. playing video games or being on your phone) plays a substantial role in increasing the risk of developing myopia.

The average child in Western countries spend as much as seven hours per day on a screen. Our children’s eyes have never had to work so hard, with more children than ever developing myopia.

While we can’t get away from our modern lifestyle, we can be smarter about how we use technology, encouraging and empowering our children to have healthy device habits.

Encourage your child to take regular BREAKS- for every 20 minutes spent on near tasks, take a break for 20 seconds gazing into the distance (20 feet or 6 metres away).

#3 – Early Detection Creates Prevention

Early diagnosis and intervention is the key to slowing the progression of myopia. Get your children examined by a Heron Eyecare optometrist. If they don’t have a vision condition – perfect! If they do, you can build a management plan with your optometrist to make sure their vision doesn’t  get worse.

Clear vision will help them at school, at sport, with their peers and even their future well-being. Win-Win!

https://bhvi.org/

Location

Make an Appointment

Contact the team at Heron Eyecare in Toowoomba to book in for your next eye examination.

07 4639 2378


Location 147 Russell Street, Toowoomba with convenient off-street parking