What Causes Myopia?
Myopia, also known-as 'near-sightedness' is a condition that is associated with blurred distance vision. Myopia occurs because the eyeball is too long or the curvature of the cornea doesn't allow light to focus correctly. There are a couple of factors that can increase your risk of developing myopia.
- Genetics: Myopia tends to run in families. If one of your parents is nearsighted, there is a chance that you will be as well. If both of your parents are nearsighted, your risk increases significantly.
- Spending too much time indoors: Studies have shown that people who spend little time outdoors have a higher risk of having myopia than those who go outdoors often.
Myopia is increasing at a drastic rate in children because of the amount of time spend indoors and on screens. Moderate to high amounts of myopia have a higher risk of sight threatening conditions such as glaucoma, myopic macular degeneration, and retinal detachments.
What Are the Symptoms Of Myopia?
The most common symptom of myopia is seeing objects in the distance as blurry. The other symptoms include:
- Needing to squint to see objects in the distance
- Needing to sit closer to the TV or in the classroom
- Being unaware of objects in the distance
- Excessive blinking
- Needing to rub your eyes frequently to see objects in the distance more clearly
What Can I Do To Help Prevent Myopia?
Lifestyle Changes to Help Prevent Myopia
- Increase time spent outside. Studies have shown that individuals who spend more than 90 minutes outdoors per day have a 2-3x less risk of myopia progression
- Reduce time spent on near tasks.
- Take regular breaks from near tasks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: take 20 seconds out of every 20 minutes of near work to look at something more than 20 feet away.
- MiSight Contact Lenses
- These 'multifocal' contact lenses have different areas of focus. The center provides clear distance vision, while the outer portions of the lens 'defocus' or blur the child's peripheral or side vision. Blurring the side vision is thought to slow eye growth and limit myopia
- Studies show MiSight contact lenses may reduce the progressions of myopia by 59%
- Low Dose Atropine
- Atropine is an eye drop that has been used to dilate the pupil and treat 'lazy eye' in children for many years.
- When used in small amounts, the drops may slow the progression of myopia over time. The drops are used every night at bedtime, and treatment is typically for one year, but may be extended depending on results
- Studies show that low-dose Atropine may reduce the progression of myopia by 50%.
If you have myopia or are concerned that your child may have myopia and would like to discuss treatment options, call our office at (563) 263-7577 to schedule an appointment.