The past few decades have seen myopia becoming increasingly common among children and adults globally. It can cause children to perform poorly at school, sports, and even at home and contribute to poor work performance in adults.

Myopia can trigger other vision and eye health problems if left undiagnosed and untreated. A person may be at a higher risk of getting premature cataracts, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration.

Why is myopia becoming more common, and is there anything you can do about it?
 

What Is Myopia?

Myopia, often known as nearsightedness, is an eyesight problem that each parent should know of but may not be informed of.

It happens when the eyeball grows longer or more curved than usual in childhood or starts elongating in adulthood. As a result, a person can view things better up close, but objects look blurry from a distance.
 

What Causes Myopia?

Myopia usually results from the eyeball being too long or too curved. As a result, light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it.

Experts do not know exactly what causes the eye to grow too long or curved, but they believe it can arise from genetic and environmental factors. Children are more likely to become nearsighted if:

·      Their parents have myopia. Having one parent with nearsightedness triples the risk that a child will have it.

·      They spend more time doing close-up activities like reading, playing computer games, using tablets or smartphones, or drawing.
 

Why Should It Concern You?

Myopia is on the rise in kids. Myopia prevalence among children in the United States has jumped from 25 percent in the 1970s to almost 42 percent in just thirty years. Currently, about 11 percent of school-going children in America have myopia.

Also, as your child's eyes grow, they are more likely to develop nearsightedness and other eye diseases if not treated.
 

Signs of Myopia in Children

Your child may have myopia if they:

·      Keep squinting to see clearly.

·      Hold books very close to their eyes to read better.

·      Move to the front of the classroom to see the board better.

·      Sit too close to the television, computer, or movie screen.

·      Avoid sports or activities that require healthy distance vision.

Along with blurry vision, your child may get recurrent headaches from the strain they put on their eyes when squinting or struggling to see better.
 

Can a Child Outgrow Myopia?

Unfortunately, children cannot outgrow myopia, and there is no cure. But treatment can help enhance their vision and stop it from getting worse.

Your child's doctor may prescribe corrective eyeglasses or vision therapy to help control myopia. Treatment is vital for protecting your child's present and future eye health, even if they will still require eyeglasses or contact lenses.
 

How to Prevent Myopia From Worsening

Your child's eye doctor can prescribe a low dose of atropine eye drops to stop myopia's progression. Also, encouraging your child to minimize screen time and spend more outdoor time can help stop myopia from worsening. Outdoor time and activities will improve your child's distance vision and guard their eyesight as they grow.

For more on myopia, visit Inclima Eye Care at our office in West Haven, Connecticut. Call (203) 694-0418 to book an appointment today.