Myopia is commonly known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness, and usually develops during childhood between the ages of 6 and 17, which are the key growth years for a child. Myopia is a type of uncorrected refractive error and is a common cause of vision impairment. In this eye condition, objects and images at a distance appear blurry. So even if your child is able to see images and objects up close clearly, they might not be able to identify them from a distance. Hence the term, short-sightedness. Myopia is usually hereditary and occurs because the distance between the cornea (the clear protective outer layer) and the retina (the thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye on the inside) is too long. So, instead of the light focusing on the retina, it focuses in front of the retina. The concerning thing if your child has myopia, is that the risk of developing some eye conditions increases as they grow older. This includes diseases like cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal detachments, which all have the potential to cause permanent blindness. That’s why it’s important that parents monitor their children’s eye health closely throughout their developmental years.
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The genetics of myopia is one of the more important factors in accounting for the increase in myopia, with 20% of the world population being Chinese. In places like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, the rise of myopia was first seen in the 1990s. Since then, with better screening in China itself, the dramatic increase has been confirmed. Equally, people from other ethnic groups who have myopia tend to pass it on to their children. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) predicts that 34% of the World’s population will have myopia in 2020. This number is predicted to increase to 50% by 2050. The research shows that one of the reasons for the increase in the prevalence of myopia is that its onset is occurring earlier in life. Parents may not have sufficient understanding around the eye condition of myopia.
The cause of myopia can be both genetic and environmental, and it usually occurs during childhood and worsens during puberty until the age of about 20. Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved. Because of this, the light entering the eye doesn't focus correctly, making distant images and objects look blurry. The genetic predisposition to develop myopia seems to be triggered by modern intensive indoor education and a lessening of the protective behaviour of outdoor play, where vision is focused in good light on distant objects. This means that children can develop myopia if their parents or other family members have the condition. It also means that children can develop myopia due to their environment. For example, if they don’t spend enough time outdoors where they are exposed to natural light and can focus their eyes on distant objects. Experts recommend a minimum of 90 minutes be spent outdoors daily.
These are the symptoms to watch out for in kids who may be too young to convey their distress:
ASK YOUR KIDS THESE QUESTIONS As well as keeping an eye out for the symptoms listed earlier, you should ask these three questions to determine whether your child is developing myopia: Where do you sit in the classroom? (This will give you a gauge of how far from the blackboard they are.)
Myopia can be treated in a number of ways and your doctor can help you decide the best treatment for your child. These are the treatments your optometrist or ophthalmologist will discuss with you if your child is shortsighted:
Myopia is the most common eye disease facing people around the world. In remote areas where The Fred Hollows Foundation works, insufficient eye care services deprive children of the opportunity to see clearly. Without good eye sight, children cannot receive education that they deserve, and they face an uncertain future. The Fred Hollows Foundation estimates that for every $1 invested in ending avoidable blindness, four times the economic benefit can be created for the community. This means more children can go to school. By providing eye services in remote areas, we can restore sight to children in need. Already, we have helped more than 2.5 million people. Donate to The Fred Hollows Foundation now and help us restore sight to children in the more than 25 countries where we work.