Nearsightedness, also known as myopia or shortsightedness, means that an individual is unable to see things clearly unless they are close to your eyes. It is one of the most common issues among children and young adults. Many patients who have this condition will wear glasses or contacts in order to correct their vision.

It’s important to keep in mind that myopia can be much more than just a simple inconvenience. It can actually pose a serious risk to an individual’s long-term eyesight. As children develop, they are more at risk for developing dangerous eye diseases later on in life. This includes retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. The good news is that myopia management can help with this.

Myopia is caused by an elongation of the eyeball. When the eyeball is too long, it will focus the light in front of the retina instead of on it, which causes blurry vision. When childhood myopia progresses the retina will stretch and strain, which makes the child more prone to major eye diseases.

Myopia is becoming more prevalent globally, with a recent study showing that nearly 30% of the world’s population currently has myopia. By 2050, it is estimated that 50% of the global population will be myopic. This adds up to about 5 billion people. Myopia rates have increased exponentially in the last 20 years. In China, between 10 to 20% of primary school children are myopic. This number will increase to 50% for high school students, and by the time they get to university, 90% of the student body will be nearsighted.

Myopia management is a series of treatments that eye doctors will use to help slow the progression of myopia in children. Myopia management treatments are able to help induce changes in the structure of the eye by helping to get rid of stress and fatigue linked to the development and progression of myopia. Many studies indicate that these treatments are successful to slow down the progression of nearsightedness in children and teens.

Children who are as young as eight years old can start myopia management. Children who are at risk would ideally start before the ages of 10 for optimal results. However, it’s never too late to start. Either way, your optometrist will be able to let you know when your child is ready.

Children who have very low myopia can also benefit greatly from myopia management. In these situations it’s not a good thing to take a wait and see position. It will run the risk of allowing your child’s prescription to rise as they grow older, their risk of developing serious eye diseases could increase in the long run.

Visit Blink Vision Care in Brampton today to discuss myopia further or to book an eye exam today!