Nowadays one of the most common problems in the population is the growth of the myopia population. Several studies have already demonstrated the growth of this visual deficiency and one of the great challenges is to try to stop it.
For this reason, there are many studies aimed at creating the solution to avoid an epidemic.
One of the current successful studies is the myopia-stopping lens.
WHAT CAUSES MYOPIA?
Myopia is a refractive defect that causes blurred vision of objects that are far away. It causes a lack of sharpness and seeing objects in shadow. If it is a high myopia, all distant objects at 6m and including close objects at 1m away they might be seen blurred.
The main cause of myopia is the curvature of the eye itself. An eye without any visual deficit will focus the images coming from the outside right on the retina. On the other hand, a myopic eye focuses the image in front of the retina and this causes blurred vision. This is because the light rays coming from the outside when refracted within the layers that form the eyeball, due to a different curvature of the cornea or the general curvature of the eye, the refraction does not focus on the retina.
The most worrying factor is the growth of this disease in children. Genetics is one of the factors affecting the appearance of this anomaly.
Another and more important factor is environmental factor,for example, the lifestyle in which the child is surrounded. The fact that we are constantly surrounded by artificial light, screens, less time spent outdoors are environmental factors that affect the development of myopia.
The genetic factor has an influence, but it is being observed that there are more cases of myopia than genetically expected. In other words, the environmental factor is a key factor.
HOW DO MYOPIA LENSES WORK?
It is a lens designed to slow down the development of myopia in children. It works with focusing and defocusing points, inside the lens, there are points where there will be the child’s real graduation and points where there will be less graduation. This creates defocusing points on the retina and helps to slow down myopia. It is a treatment that must be taken into account especially in children of early ages where it is analyzed that year after year myopia is increasing.
Generally, they give very good results, especially in children and at early ages. It should be emphasized that this is an option to slow the progression of myopia and not to cure it. In other words, it is a preventive factor. But it is a very good option, bearing in mind that if a 12-year-old child has a myopia of 2 diopters, it is not the same thing that every year the myopia increases by 0.75 diopters and at 16 years of age he/she has a myopia of approximately 5 diopters or 3 diopters of myopia at 16 years of age.
Last but not least, it should be emphasized that visual controls should be done once a year, especially in myopic children and that not all children are candidates for this type of myopia control lens.
An optometrist and an ophthalmologist should always be consulted to assess the effectiveness of this lens for each individual child.
HOW TO DETECT MYOPIA IN CHILDREN?
Whether at home or at school, it is important to be aware of these symptoms:
- Rub your face or eyes to try to concentrate.
- Zoom in on things to see them clearly.
- Often have a headache and are tired.
Children do not show with their vision problems, so it is important to pay attention to these signs for referral to an ophthalmologist. Older children can be corrected with glasses, especially when performing certain tasks. However, it is very important for parents to be aware of the nature of myopia growth and development, because replacement of corrective lenses will be frequent.
HOW TO PREVENT MYOPIA AT HOME OR AT SCHOOL?
The development of myopia can be reduced by maintaining good eye hygiene and regularly following eye health tips:
- The 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes of close-up, you should rest for at least 20 seconds looking into the distance (about 6 meters or 20 feet).
- Maintain good posture It is important that your back and neck are straight and your feet are on the floor. In addition, the reading plane should be inclined about 20 degrees.
- Keep a minimum distance of 35-40 centimeters with tablets, cell phones, books and 50 centimeters if you work with a computer or laptop.
- Good ambient light: It is good to use natural light whenever possible. When using artificial light, it is important to distinguish between the lamp shining on the screen or paper and the ambient light. The light source should be placed to the left of both right- and left-handed users.
- Frequent blinking: Children may not understand this, but they should be reminded to always keep their eyes open when using electronic devices.
All of these recommendations should be implemented at school and at home to reduce the development of myopia. However, the most important thing is to have your eyes checked regularly, especially if you have been diagnosed with nearsightedness.
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