Posted on 24th May 2008 @ 7:57 PM

Myopia

Myopia, or shortsightedness, is a common disorder. A person who has myopia can see near objects clearly but distant objects appear blurred. This is because the focal point of a visual image falls in front of the retina instead of directly on it. The eyeball may be too long from front to back.

It is not clear what causes myopia. Myopia usually develop in children of school-going age and continues to worsen through to the early 20s, after which it usually stabilises. In Singapore, more than half are myopic by the time they are twelve and three-quarters by the time they reach eighteen. Myopia usually runs in the family. Chinese are more prone to myopia and the risk is higher if one or both of the parents are also myopic.
Practice good eye care habits today!

Avoid prolonged near work, take a break after every 30 to 40 minutes. You can look out the window, or simply go outdoors for activities!



Symptoms


Blurred Vision
Headaches from straining eyes
Squinting
Treatment

Currently, there is no cure for myopia. Spectacles and contact lenses serve to correct vision. To date, doctors and scientists have not discovered how to prevent myopia. Near work however, appears to be an important environmental factor in the development of myopia.

Studies have indicated that excessive near work can lead to or worsen myopia. In Singapore, our children tend to spend a lot of time on near work. In addition to time spent on school work, home work and perhaps tuition, they also engage in games on handheld electronics devices, or handphones and other computer related activities such as blogging and internet chats.

It is important to reduce to reduce excessive amount of time spent on unnecessary near work. Also, encourage your child to take a break after 30 - 40 minutes of near work such as reading or writing. They can do this by going outdoors for activities (such as sports or a stroll) or looking at distant objects out of a window.


Teach your children healthy eye care habits. Although we do not know everything about how to prevent myopia, these habits may halt the deterioration of myopia.

Good Eye Care Habits

When reading, ensure that the book is at least 30 cm away from the eyes while sitting upright in a comfortable adjustable chair. Ensure sufficient lighting in the room but not strong direct light shining onto the book or face.

When watching television programmes or playing video games, ensure that they sit at a distant away from the TV that is appropriate to its size. The room light should be switched on and the height of the television set should be set at eye level or lower. Discourage them from watching television while lying down.

If they are using the computer, place the monitor screen at least 50 cm away from the eyes. Make sure they sit upright and do not lean forward towards the monitor screen. Adjust the monitor screen to 10 to 15 degrees below the eye level. The keyboard should be placed directly in front of the monitor. Place reading material on a paper stand beside the monitor and at the same angle, level and distance away.

Correction of myopia

Eyeglasses or contact lenses are the most common ways of correcting myopia. There are also surgical procedures (e.g. LASIK) to improve or correct myopia. However, these surgical procedures only serve to correct refractive errors. They do not treat the elongated myopic eyeball or reduce the risk of complications that occur due to severe myopia.

It is not advisable for children to undergo these surgical procedures as their eyeballs are still developing.


Other Information

The higher the degree of myopia, the higher the risks of developing complications which leads to reduced vision and blindness. The following are some complications of severe myopia:


Retinal detachment occurs when the inner layer of the eye becomes separated from the eyeball.
There is also a higher chance of developing cataracts (opaqueness of the lens) at an earlier age.
Severe myopia can also lead to too much fluid pressure in the eyeballs resulting in glaucoma.
Macular degeneration occurs when the retina degenerates leading to reduced vision.