Myopia quick facts
- Myopia is an Eye Disease
- It’s More Common Than You Think
- It’s a Progressive Condition
- Myopia Puts Kids at Risk of Developing Future Eye Disease
- Myopia Can Be Managed
What is a Myopia?
Myopia (More commonly referred to as Nearsightedness) is when close-up objects look clear but distant objects are blurry. For example, a child can read the textbook on his or her school desk but is unable to clearly see the teacher’s notes being written on the whiteboard at the front of the classroom.
In simple terms, myopia is an elongation of the eye. Think of myopia as a football instead of a basketball. Once the eye becomes elongated, incoming light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on the retina as it should. This leads to objects in the distance to appear blurry.
Myopia is considered an eye disease and is increasing at a rate that is of epidemic proportions. Today more than 2 billion people suffer from myopia, and it is estimated that one half of the world’s population will be nearsighted by 2050.
Causes of Myopia
The exact cause of myopia is unknown; however, experts generally agree that myopia in children is due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
What exactly does this mean? Well, it is likely that children inherit the ability to be myopic from their parents if their parents have myopia; and given the right lifestyle conditions, children can then go on to develop myopia themselves. Lifestyle conditions include increased up-close activity such as reading, writing and electronics – computers, tablets and phones.
Who is At Risk for Myopia?
Myopia begins in early childhood, progresses through the teen years, and usually stabilizes in the early twenties. The eyes grow in tandem with the rest of the body, and Myopia will progress in a similar fashion. This means there can be growth spurts and also periods of little to no change in vision.
Typically, myopia is diagnosed in children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. As the body grows more rapidly during the teenage years, Myopia will generally grow worse during this period.
Besides being young, science is showing that the more time a child spends indoors, the greater the likelihood they are to develop nearsightedness. Why? Indoor activity generally includes artificial lighting, and long periods of up-close, intense activity on electronics.
People with myopia are at greater future risk of developing glaucoma, cataracts, and having retinal detachment.
Symptoms of Myopia
The most common symptoms of nearsightedness include:
- Blurred distance vision
- Squinting
- Headaches
- Eye Fatigue
Treatment of Myopia
Treatment for myopia lies in controlling the progression of the disease since there is no cure for nearsightedness. This is typically referred to as a Myopia Management Program.
Family Eye Care of O’Fallon offers two treatment options for children in our Myopia Management Program:
- MiSight daily disposable contact lenses that are worn 6 days a week and specifically designed to control myopia. These are the only FDA approved lenses for myopia management.
- Atropine eye drop therapy that is used in a low-dose, nightly before bedtime. This treatment has not yet been approved by the FDA for myopia management.
Myopia Management Program (MMP)
If you are interested in learning more about the MMP program offered by Family Eye Care of O’Fallon, please click the button below to download our program overview.
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