Understanding Myopia In Kids: A Quick Guide For Parents

Sitting Too Close

Keep an eye out if your child is sitting too close to the tv or holding digital devices to close to the face.

Frequent Squinting

If your child is squiting alot, especially when trying to see distant objects, it could be a sign of myopia.

Headaches or Eye Strain

If your child mentions headaches or eye strain, particulary after activities requiring long distance vision

Rubbing Eyes Frequently

If your child is squiting alot, especially when trying to see distant objects, it could be a sign of myopia.

Closing One Eye

Children might close or cover one eye to see better, especially when looking at something far away. This behavior can help reduce the demand on the eye's focusing mechanism and decrease blurriness

Poor Academic Performance

If a child's myopia goes unnoticed, it may affect their performance at school, particularly in activities involving visual tasks like reading from a blackboard.

1. Encourage Outdoor Time

Ensure your child spends at least two hours outdoors daily. Studies have shown that increased outdoor exposure can significantly reduce the risk of developing myopia in children. The natural light and opportunity for distant viewing help relax the eyes, contrasting the strain from prolonged near tasks. Engaging in outdoor activities such as playing sports, walking, or simply spending time in a park can be beneficial. It's also a great way for children to get physical exercise and fresh air, contributing to their overall health and well-being. 

2. Limit Screen Time

Enforce regular breaks from digital devices to prevent eye strain and fatigue. Encourage the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, have your child look at something 20 feet away (about 6 meters) for at least 20 seconds. This practice helps reduce the constant focus on close-up screens, which can strain the eyes over time. Additionally, set clear limits on the amount of screen time allowed each day. Encourage activities that do not involve screens, such as reading physical books, playing board games, or engaging in creative hobbies like drawing or building with blocks. Balance is key to ensuring healthy eye habits and overall development.

3. Maintain Proper Lighting

Ensure that your child has adequate lighting when reading, studying, or doing other close-up tasks. Proper lighting can significantly reduce eye strain. Natural daylight is the best option, so try to position study areas near windows. When natural light is not available, use adjustable desk lamps that provide sufficient brightness without creating glare or harsh shadows. It's important to avoid reading in dim light or overly bright conditions, as both can cause discomfort and strain the eyes. Adjust lighting based on the task and time of day to create a comfortable and eye-friendly environment.

4. Promote Good Reading Habits

Teach your child to maintain proper reading habits to protect their vision. Encourage them to hold reading materials at a distance of about 35 to 40 centimeters from their eyes. This helps maintain a healthy focal distance and reduces the risk of developing myopia. Remind them to take regular breaks, especially during extended reading sessions. For every 30 minutes of reading, they should take a short break to rest their eyes. Additionally, ensure they read in well-lit areas and avoid reading while lying down, as awkward positions can strain the eyes and neck.

5. Regular Eye Exams

Schedule comprehensive eye examinations for your child at least once a year. Regular eye exams are crucial for detecting vision problems early and ensuring that any issues are promptly addressed. An optometrist or ophthalmologist can check for myopia, hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, and other vision conditions. Early detection allows for timely intervention, which can prevent the progression of vision problems and ensure your child has the best possible vision for learning and development. Eye exams also provide an opportunity to update prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses and to receive personalized advice on maintaining eye health.

1. Retinal detachment

Myopia, particularly high myopia, significantly increases the risk of retinal detachment, a serious and potentially vision-threatening condition. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye that captures visual information and sends it to the brain via the optic nerve. In retinal detachment, the retina pulls away from its normal position, leading to a separation from the underlying layer of blood vessels that supply it with oxygen and nutrients.

This condition can result from a variety of factors associated with myopia, such as thinning of the retina and changes in the vitreous gel that fills the eye. Symptoms of retinal detachment include sudden flashes of light, a sudden increase in floaters (small spots or lines that drift through the field of vision), and a shadow or curtain effect that obscures part of the visual field. Without prompt medical intervention, retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss.

Treatment for retinal detachment often involves surgery. There are several surgical options, including pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle surgery, and vitrectomy. The choice of procedure depends on the severity and location of the detachment. Recovery from these surgeries can vary, and patients may need to follow specific post-operative instructions to ensure successful healing.

2. Glaucoma

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of developing glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which is crucial for transmitting visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma often results from elevated intraocular pressure, although it can occur even with normal eye pressure.

There are several types of glaucoma, including open-angle glaucoma (the most common form) and angle-closure glaucoma. In open-angle glaucoma, the drainage canals in the eye gradually become clogged, leading to increased eye pressure. This pressure damages the optic nerve over time, resulting in gradual peripheral vision loss. Angle-closure glaucoma occurs when the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris is blocked, causing a rapid increase in eye pressure. This form can lead to sudden symptoms such as severe eye pain, nausea, redness, and blurred vision, and requires immediate medical attention.

Regular eye exams are essential for early detection of glaucoma, especially for individuals with myopia. During an eye exam, an optometrist or ophthalmologist can measure intraocular pressure, examine the drainage angle, assess the optic nerve for damage, and conduct visual field tests. Treatment options for glaucoma include medications (eye drops or pills), laser therapy, and surgical procedures designed to improve fluid drainage and lower eye pressure. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in preventing significant vision loss.

3. Cataracts

Myopia, or nearsightedness, poses an increased risk for developing cataracts, a common condition where the eye's natural lens becomes cloudy. This cloudiness impairs the lens' ability to focus light onto the retina, leading to symptoms such as blurred vision, faded colors, and difficulty with night vision. While cataracts can develop due to various factors like aging, UV exposure, diabetes, and certain medications, myopia accelerates this process through several mechanisms.

One significant factor is the elongated shape of the eyeball in myopic individuals. This structural change can alter the internal dynamics of the eye, affecting the metabolism and integrity of the lens over time. Additionally, myopia often results in larger pupil sizes, potentially increasing exposure to harmful UV radiation. Prolonged UV exposure is known to contribute to oxidative damage of lens proteins, thereby hastening the formation of cataracts.

4. Myopic maculopathy

Myopic maculopathy is a serious condition characterized by degenerative changes in the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. High levels of myopia increase the risk of developing this condition, which can lead to severe and permanent central vision loss.

Myopic maculopathy includes a spectrum of changes such as macular degeneration, macular holes, and lacquer cracks. These changes result from the elongation of the eyeball in myopia, which stretches and thins the retina and underlying structures. Symptoms of myopic maculopathy can include distorted vision (metamorphopsia), a dark or empty area in the center of vision (scotoma), and difficulty with activities that require fine vision, such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces.

There is currently no cure for myopic maculopathy, but treatments are available to manage the condition and slow its progression. These treatments may include anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) injections, which help reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage in the retina, and laser therapy or photodynamic therapy, which can help seal leaking blood vessels and stabilize vision. Regular monitoring by an eye care professional is essential for individuals with high myopia to detect early signs of maculopathy and initiate appropriate treatment.

1. Peripheral defocus spectacles

Peripheral defocus spectacles is an approach aimed at managing myopia progression by intentionally blurring peripheral vision while maintaining clear central vision. The concept behind these spectacles is based on the idea that peripheral hyperopic (farsighted) defocus may slow down axial elongation of the eye, which is a key factor in myopia development. By manipulating the peripheral visual field, these glasses aim to reduce the stimulus that contributes to eye growth, potentially slowing down the progression of myopia over time.

2. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Orthokeratology, commonly referred to as Ortho-K, involves the use of specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses that are worn overnight. These lenses gently reshape the cornea while the child sleeps, correcting myopia and sometimes astigmatism. During the day, the reshaped cornea provides clear vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Ortho-K has been shown to not only correct vision but also effectively slow down the progression of myopia in children, particularly those with moderate myopia. The mechanism involves the temporary flattening of the central cornea, which may alter the optical signals influencing eye growth.

3. Multifocal Contact Lenses

Multifocal contact lenses are another option for managing myopia progression. These lenses have different optical powers in different zones, allowing for clear vision at various distances simultaneously. By providing clear vision for near and far objects, multifocal lenses reduce the strain associated with prolonged near work. Studies suggest that multifocal contact lenses create an optical environment that may inhibit excessive eye growth, thereby slowing down myopia progression in children. These lenses are available in both soft and gas-permeable materials, catering to different preferences and prescriptions.

4. Low-dose Atropine Eye Drops

Low-dose atropine eye drops have emerged as a promising treatment to slow down myopia progression in children. Atropine, a medication traditionally used to dilate the pupil and temporarily relax the focusing muscles in the eye, has been found effective at low concentrations (such as 0.01% or 0.02%) for controlling myopia. The exact mechanism of action is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve modulation of eye growth by influencing biochemical pathways in the eye. Recent studies and clinical trials have shown that low-dose atropine can significantly reduce the rate of myopia progression while minimizing potential side effects like light sensitivity.

5. Environmental Modifications

Lifestyle modifications play a crucial role in managing myopia progression. Increasing outdoor time, particularly exposure to natural daylight, has been associated with a reduced risk of myopia development and slower progression in children already diagnosed with myopia. Outdoor activities encourage children to focus on distant objects and engage in physical activity, which may help in controlling axial elongation of the eye. Additionally, reducing prolonged screen time and encouraging breaks from near work (the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds) can alleviate eye strain and contribute to managing myopia progression.

6. Regular Monitoring and Prescription Updates

Regular eye exams are essential for monitoring the progression of myopia and ensuring that your child's vision is optimally corrected. Eye care professionals can assess the effectiveness of myopia control treatments and adjust prescriptions as needed to provide clear and comfortable vision. Monitoring may include measurements of axial length, refraction, and evaluation of ocular health to track changes over time. Adjustments to treatment plans may be necessary based on individual response to therapy and developmental changes in myopia severity.

As a parent, being informed about myopia and its management is essential for safeguarding your child's vision and overall eye health. By recognizing the signs of myopia, implementing preventive measures, understanding the associated health risks, and exploring available myopia control options, you can take proactive steps to support your child's visual development and well-being. With early detection and proper management, you can help your child enjoy clear vision and a lifetime of healthy eyes.