5 Things to Know About Myopia in Children

If your child has trouble seeing distant objects, they could be nearsighted. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is an eye health condition that each parent should be conscious of. However, many parents do not know about it.

Myopia puts children at risk of developing more eye problems as they get older. These include glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment, and macular degeneration. These diseases can ultimately cause permanent vision loss, so it is essential to watch your child's eye health as they continue to grow.

Here are five things to know about myopia in children.

More Children Are Diagnosed with Myopia

Eye doctors say they see nearsightedness affecting more children and teenagers. Currently, myopia affects one in four people in America, but the numbers are growing. The condition is common in children between the age of six and 12. If not addressed, it may aggravate during the teenage years as the child rapidly grows.

Kids are more vulnerable to myopia because most of their daily activities are within arm's reach. Common pastimes like playing video games, using computers and other digital screens are close-up activities. They do not involve moving around or distance vision.

Signs of Myopia

Children with myopia may:

Have blurry vision when looking at objects far away
Blink too much or squint their eyes to see distances
Hold toys, books, or other items unusually close to their eyes
Have difficulty reading words on the writing board at school

Causes of Myopia in Children

Myopia happens when the cornea is too bent, or the eyeball is too elongated. As a result, the eyes do not focus light correctly making distant images look blurred.

Myopia can arise from genetic factors. Your child is more likely to develop nearsightedness if you are myopic. Children can also become nearsighted because of their environment, and a child who spends most of their time doing close-up tasks indoors, with no outdoor time, is more likely to become nearsighted.

Existing Treatments for Myopia in Children

There are several ways to treat myopia. Your child's eye doctor will help determine the most suitable treatment for your child.

Treatment may include:

Wearing bifocal or multifocal eyeglasses to see distances better. Children can switch to wearing contact lenses when they are grown and able to care for them.
Combining corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses with atropine eye drops. Atropine helps eye muscles relax and not strain on the inside.
Vision therapy exercises can soothe eye strain. They can also ease the pressure from looking at nearby objects for too long.

What You Can Do to Help

Encourage your child to spend more time outdoors.

When outdoors, your child meets healthy natural light, which allows their eyes to focus on distant objects. That gives the eye muscles time to rest, especially after too much screen time. Ophthalmologists recommend at least 90 minutes of outdoor time daily, notably in the mid-morning hours when the sun is not too bright.

If you have trouble limiting your child's screen time, your child can exercise the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes spent on the screen, encourage your child to take a 20-second break and look at something 20 or more feet away.

For more on myopia in children, visit Apple Eyecare at our office in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can also call (260) 432-5502 to schedule an appointment today.