Childhood Myopia Is in Crisis Mode on a Global Scale

When it comes to the prevalence of myopia (nearsightedness), the statistics are staggering. By 2050, nearly half of the world's population — about 5 billion people — will be myopic. Below are a few useful tips to help you prevent your child from being part of that statistic.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eye elongates, causing light rays to focus in front of the light-sensitive retina rather than directly on it. So, people with nearsightedness perceive distant objects as blurred while close-up objects can remain clear.

Myopia tends to develop during childhood, when the eyeballs rapidly grow (along with the rest of the body), mainly between the ages of 8-18. People with progressive myopia are more likely to develop serious eye diseases like cataracts, retinal detachment, macular degeneration and glaucoma later in life.

How To Know Whether Your Child Is Myopic

Signs to watch for include: blurred distance vision (kids may complain they can't see the board), headaches when myopia isn't corrected, tilting or squinting their head while watching TV, and moving closer to screens.

What Parents Can Do to Slow Their Child's Myopia Progression

• Encourage your child to go outdoors for at least 90 minutes a day, preferably in the sunshine. Studies show that playing outdoors reduces the risk of developing myopia and slows its progression.
• Limit the amount of time your child spends staring at a screen, reading and doing close work such as homework.
• When your child uses a digital screen, make sure that it isn't too close to the face.
• Teach the 20-20-20 rule: During screen time, take a break every 20 minutes to look at an object about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

How We Can Help

Certain eye doctors offer treatment methods known as myopia control or myopia management. These include orthokeratology, bifocal or multifocal contact lenses, and eye drops like low dose atropine. If your child shows signs of myopia, schedule an eye exam with Grove City Vision Center in Grove City as soon as possible.