Myopia Management: Part 1
What is Myopia and why is it a concern?
Myopia, also known as near-sightedness, is a disorder where the shape of the eyeball lengthens and causes image blur on the retina. The progression of myopia is thought to be a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Myopia is the most common ocular disorder worldwide and the leading cause of visual impairment in children. In 2010 it was estimated that 27% of the world population was myopic, and by 2050 it is estimated to rise to 52%.
Genetics do play a role. It is estimated that if one parent is myopic, a child has a 1 in 5 (20%) chance of becoming myopic, if both parents are myopic it jumps to 1 in 3 or 33%.
Environmental factors, such as prolonged near work (reading and technology based), length of schooling, and time spent outdoors have also been shown to play a role.
So why is this bad?
The younger the onset of myopia, the higher the likelihood of developing higher risk eye diseases later in life.
These include:
- Retinal Detachments
- Myopic Macular Degeneration
- Glaucoma
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See the large jump in risk as the prescription moves into higher numbers. If you have a young child that develops myopia, this is the potential risk they will face later in life because of their refractive error.
Not to mention the financial burden over a lifetime of buying glasses and contacts, and the higher the prescriptions, are more expensive to correct.
Listed below are a couple websites that have useful information if you would like to learn more.
Stay tuned for more information about treatment options to help manage myopia. These options to help reduce the amount of nearsightedness your child will end up with and help them have healthier eyes later in life.