Causes of myopia development in childhood

The number of people with poor vision has increased significantly in the recent years. In the United States, about 40% of the population have myopia. The causes lie in the increased burden on the eyes that came with the advancement of technology. People spend more and more time on computers, tablets and mobile phones which trigger myopia. Long work hours which make people connected with computer screens lead to the progression of myopia.

Myopia develops when the eyeball is too long. Light rays that fall into the eye then form their focal point not exactly on the retina, but in front of it and lead to a blurred image on the retina. The sooner children become near-sighted, the more their visual impairment will be pronounced in adulthood, because the eyeball grows until the age of 30.

The use of computers, tablets and phones is especially dangerous for young children. Their visual apparatus is not completely formed at young ages.

Prophylaxis of myopia

2-3 decades ago myopia was not as common in very young children as it is today. This is, again, due to increased load on our eyes. Myopia that starts at an earlier age is more likely to get worse in the future. It is very important to take preventive steps against myopia. Preventive measures should start with a strict limitation of gadgets for kids. Since their visual apparatus is not completely formed, they should not be allowed to use computers or tablets for excessive hours. Visiting parks, frequent walks and other activities will be both beneficial and preventive.

Some recent studies have concluded that spending lots of time outdoors as a kid might benefit the eyes in terms of myopia.

Correction of myopia

If there is myopia at an early age, it is important not to allow its progression with the subsequent care.

In this case, correct, full-fledged correction of myopia with spectacles or contact lenses is extremely important. Contact lens correction is preferable, it helps to see much more naturally, without distortions that arise in the glasses, this is certainly important for the children during the formation of the visual apparatus. According to some data, contact lenses can reduce the progression of myopia.

Silicone – hydrogel lenses are recommended for children. They can wear contact lenses from age of one. It will be more difficult to get young children to lenses. Even adults have a hard time trying to wear the lenses the first few times. Young children will be annoyed and upset until they get used to it. At the same time, lenses are safer for children because unlike glasses they do not carry the risk of breaking and injuring the eyes during sports.

Since kids will not grasp the idea of contact lenses, they will not take care of them either. Parents should always remember to clean and change their lenses on a regular basis.

Parents’ best option is talking to an ophthalmologist about their children’s situation, they can run a thorough examination and come up with ideas or solutions to prevent or correct myopia.

There are also coloured lenses that kids can have fun with at parties such as Halloween or birthday parties.

Kids should be supervised by their parents when they are using contact lenses to safely store their lenses.They also are needed to be though how to use different contact lenses products.

Although an outright cure for myopia has not been discovered, your ophthalmologist can now offer a number of treatments that may be able to slow the progression of myopia.