What is myopia?

Myopia is also known as short-sightedness. It is a condition in which one’s far vision is impaired and blurred while the near vision is clear up to a certain distance. It happens when the eyeball grows longer than the usual length and the light rays don’t fall at the focal point on the retina; rather they fall at a point before the retina’s focal point. This causes one to experience blurred far vision while the near vision remains clear.

Myopia usually sets in at a young age between the ages of 6 – 13 years and tends to progress over the growing years before stabilising as one becomes a young adult.

What is myopia control?

Myopia control involves the use of proven methods to control and slow down the progression of myopia. Since myopia sets in between the ages of 6 – 13 years, myopia control measures start from an early age of around 5 years. They involve regular checks and monitoring to detect if a child is at a risk of developing myopia and taking preventive measures to stop or delay the onset and progression of myopia.

Myopia control involves use of specialised glasses and contact lenses to prevent the onset or slow down the progression of myopia. This also involves looking at lifestyle modifications for the ones at risk like spending more time outdoors and limiting the screen time after school.

What is the need for myopia control?

Myopia is spreading at an alarming rate throughout the world. According to a research carried out by the Brien Holden Vision Institute in Sydney, Australia, almost half of the world’s population will be myopic by 2050. The number of children suffering from myopia in the U.K. has more than doubled since 1960 with 30% of the adult population being myopic currently.

This alarming rate of increase in the number of myopia patients calls for efforts to control it as it can lead to serious comorbidities in the later years of life resulting in even permanent loss of vision. The conditions that one stands at a higher risk of developing due to being myopic are glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration and retinal detachment.

At A B Optics our optometrists can help with early diagnosis, prevention and control of myopia, and myopia related problems in both children and adults. For more information, book an appointment today.