Myopia is often called short sightedness or near sightedness. People with myopia can usually see near objects clearly, but objects far away are out of focus, or blurred.
Myopia commonly starts in childhood and distance vision may become blurred very gradually so that the child is unaware he or she does not see as clearly as other people do. The incidence of childhood myopia globally is increasing and this is likely to affect the ocular health of our future generations, because myopia is linked to an increased risk of some sight threatening eye conditions such as glaucoma, retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration.
What causes myopia?
Myopia occurs when the focus of a distant object falls in front of the retina (the nerve layer at the back of the eye) instead of directly on the retina, and therefore the image formed on the back of the eye is not as sharp as it should be. This is caused by either the cornea being too curved for the length of the eyeball, or the eyeball being too long for the focussing power of the cornea.
Myopia is progressive and generally gets worse between the ages of 6 and 17 as children grow along with their eyes.
We know that there are lifestyle factors which can influence the development of childhood myopia. Although we are still learning about this, there is good evidence that the risk of childhood myopia can be reduced by spending more time outdoors and less time on prolonged near tasks, such as using digital devices. Family history is another major risk factor for the development of childhood myopia. The risk is increased if the child has one or both parents who are myopic.
A child who is myopic will usually need some form of optical correction, such as glasses or contact lenses, to make them see more clearly. Wearing glasses or contact lenses does not make the myopia get worse, but as described above, lifestyle factors and family history can. Optometrists now have treatment options available that can help to slow down the rate of myopic progression so that your child is less likely to end up highly myopic as an adult. These treatment options are well worth considering if there is evidence that your child’s myopia is getting worse. If the progression can be slowed, this will reduce the risk of sight threatening complications later in life. Your optometrist can explain these options to you and help you make a decision on what is best for your child.
If the quality of your vision detracts from enjoyment of life and makes it difficult to see things at a distance you should see your optometrist for a comprehensive eye examination.
Information in this article is sourced from NZ Association of Optometrists and The Australia and New Zealand Child Myopia Report.
