How to Prevent Myopia in Children: Symptoms & Treatment
What is myopia?
Myopia is a condition in which you can see nearby objects clearly while objects that are far away will be blurry. It occurs when the light is refracted incorrectly within the eye. Due to the eyeball being longer than normal. As a result, the image is focuse in front of the retina instead of on the retina. This is known as refractive error.
“The fundamentals of myopia is that there’s an elongation of the eyeball. But the elongation of the eyeball itself predisposes you to other problems, like early cataract development, retina tears and breaks, glaucoma, or even the nerve being thinn out. Which is a condition also known as macular atrophy,” said Dr Lim.
Causes of myopia in children
Myopia can develop gradually or rapidly, from หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล one of several causes that include:
Genetics
The tendency to develop myopia is a hereditary trait, so a child born to parents with myopia is naturally more susceptible to it. In some cases, short-sightedness can even progressively develop from a young age, and stabilises in adulthood.
Too much near-sighted work
When we perform tasks that require up-close vision, such as reading or using our smartphones. There is a lot of focus on the centre of the eye. While the peripheral vision is defocused. Prolonged periods of time performing these tasks can cause myopia. This is why it’s recommend that we take breaks after 30 – 40 minutes of near work to look at distant objects. This helps with eye fatigue and dry eyes.
Insufficient time spent outdoors
Based on studies and observations, greater exposure to natural light is significant in helping children avoid developing myopia, or slow down myopia progression. With reference to the significant difference between myopia rates in Singapore and Australia, the average, Australian kids spends about 7 hours more outdoors per week than Singaporean kids do.
Dr Lim recommends parents encourage their children to pursue outdoor activities such as bike rides or playing sports, to help children get more ambient light exposure.
Symptoms of myopia in children
Parents should be alert for these symptoms of myopia in their children:
- Persistent squinting
- Constantly needing to sit closer to the television, movie screen or the front of the classroom in order to see clearly
- Being unaware of distant objects
- Excessive blinking
- Frequent rubbing of eyes