Myopia is where a child cannot see things in clear vision unless what they are looking at is up close.
Many times, this happens because children are on devices such as: cell phones, iPads, laptops or just on the tv for too long.
Your child may even be suffering from Myopia and not even know it.
In this article, we are going to discuss the 5 most important facts you need to know about this eye disease called Myopia.
1. Myopia is a Serious Eye Disease
Myopia is a serious disease that most people are not aware of. This disease causes a child’s eye to be shaped more like a football instead of the shape it should be…round like a ball.
When this happens, it causes objects to be blurry from far. This can be a serious safety issue as well, when children see cars, stops signs and other signals that are meant to keep children safe.
Because the eye elongates and grows with the rest of the body, naturally, it stops elongating once the rest of the body stops growing in early adulthood. This also means there may be times in a child’s development where they experience growth spurts—suddenly requiring a higher prescription due to an increase in their myopia.
2. Myopia is An Epidemic
Believe it or not, Myopia is a pandemic. The Myopia eye disease is affecting close to 2 billion people world wide.
Because of the behaviors in our society, we are on track to have half of the worlds population affected by the year 2050.
3. Myopia Progressively Gets Worse Over Time
Generally, the Myopia disease progressively gets worse over time. Starting with childhood then later when in the teens.
Because the eye grows in tandem with the body, it’s only natural that it stops elongating once the rest of the body stops growing in early adulthood. This also means there may be times in a child’s development where they experience growth spurts and suddenly require a higher prescription. There are ways to effectively treat myopia in order to prevent it from progressing as the child grows. Slowing myopia early on can make all the difference to your child’s eye health as they age.
4. Myopia Puts Kids At Risk of Future Eye Disease
Myopic children are significantly more likely to develop sight-threatening eye diseases and conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment later in life.
Children with high myopia have a 50% higher risk of developing glaucoma, are 3 times more likely to develop cataracts, and 6 times more likely to develop retinal detachment as adults than children who don’t have myopia.
Myopia is more than just a matter of clear vision — a child’s eye health is at stake. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Optometry and Vision Science noted that when parents provided their children with myopia management, the risks of developing myopic maculopathy fell by 40%.
5. Myopia Can Be Managed (The Good News!)
Treatments that are available include customized contact lenses and prescription eye drops. To learn more about Myopia management or take an assessment and see if your child may have Myopia, Contact us at (714) 992 – 8020
