As a parent, it is our duty to ensure our child’s optimal health and well-being. One crucial aspect of their development is eye health, and myopia is a growing concern among children worldwide. Myopia or nearsightedness affects over 34% of children globally, with the percentage expected to rise. Untreated myopia can lead to significant vision impairment, impacting long-term eye health, daily life, and academic performance.
Early detection and intervention is a vital key to managing myopia. At EDO Eye Hospital in Wah Cantt, Islamabad, our team of experienced ophthalmologists and optometrists specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of myopia in children. With state-of-the-art facilities and personalised care, we empower you and your children to take control of their eye health. To know about the causes, early symptoms, and treatment options of myopia, stick to us till the end of this article.
Understand and Diagnose Myopia
Myopia also known as nearsightedness, is a common refractive eye disease in which close objects are seen clearly, but distant objects appear blurry or distorted. Myopia occurs when the eye shape causes the light rays falling on the retina to focus in front of it.
How Myopia Affects Vision
In a normal eye, the light passes through the cornea and lens focusing directly on the retina, a light-sensitive tissue. However, in a myopic eye:
- The eyeball is slightly longer or the cornea is too steep.
- Light rays focus in front of the retina.
- Distant objects appear blurry.
Knowing its prevalence and current stage makes it easy to diagnose Myopia.
Types of Myopia
Though we discussed how myopia affects eyesight, each type of myopia has varying impacts on vision. Myopia can be of various types including;
- Simple Myopia: This is the most common type of myopia and usually develops in childhood or adolescence.
- Degenerative Myopia: This type of myopia is often severe and progressive. It typically leads to significant vision impairment.
- Pathological Myopia: It is a highly degenerative myopia associated with other eye conditions, such as retinal detachment or cataracts.
With the proper knowledge of causes and potential risk factors, these types of myopia can be prevented beforehand.
Causes and Risk Factors
Understanding the cause and risk factors of myopia is a crucial step to diagnosing Myopia and treating it promptly. Here are some potential causes and risk factors of myopia:
- Genetics: Family history plays a significant role in developing eye disorders and myopia.
- Prolonged near work: Extended periods of reading, screen time, and other close-up activities may increase the risk of myopia.
- Lack of outdoor activities: Inactivity and insufficient natural light exposure.
- Other medical conditions: Certain diseases, such as keratoconus can lead to myopia
Myopia affects over 34% of children worldwide and 80% of school-aged children in some Asian countries. This is why a thorough understanding of the symptoms of myopia is crucial for its early detection and effective management.
Early Symptoms of Myopia in Children
Early signs detection in children is a crucial step to diagnose myopia on time and effectively manage it. Parents as well as healthcare professionals should be aware of these common symptoms:
Common Early Symptoms:
Difficulty seeing distant objects: Complaints of blurry or fuzzy vision when looking at distant objects such as TV or whiteboard, street signs or billboards, faces or objects across the room.
Squinting or straining: You notice your child frequently squinting or rubbing eyes to see things.
Headaches and eye strains: Frequent complaints of Headaches, eye strains, eye fatigue, or discomfort might be a sign of a serious eye condition like myopia.
Difficulty with nighttime vision: Trouble seeing in low-light environments or at night.
Avoiding Activities: Your child is reluctant to do activities that require distance vision, such as playing sports, watching movies at a distance, or reading signs.
Age-Wise Milestones for regular monitoring:
- Infants (0-12 months): Track eye movement and alignment
- Toddlers (1-3 years): Watch for crossed eyes (strabismus) or lazy eye (amblyopia)
- Preschool (4-5 years): Check if there is any difficulty recognising shapes or colours
- School-age children (6-12 years): Monitor the signs of myopia such as squinting or frequent headaches
Red flags to seek professional help immediately:
Seek immediate professional evaluation if you notice:
- Sudden changes in vision
- Eye alignment issues
- White or cloudy patches in the pupil
- Some discharge or redness in the eyes
EDO Eye Hospital recommends you schedule regular eye exams for your child as follows:
- First exam at 6 months
- Every 2-3 years for children without risk factors
- Every 1-2 years for children with risk factors
intervention can significantly impact myopia management and how to preserve your child’s eyesight. In the next section, we will explore the diagnostic steps at EDO Eye Hospital.
Steps to Diagnose Myopia in Children
Correct diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and management of myopia. At EDO Eye Hospital, we have experienced ophthalmologists and optometrists who use comprehensive eye exams to detect myopia in children.
Comprehensive Eye Exam:
A comprehensive eye exam includes:
- Visual Acuity Test: It measures the clarity of your vision using eye charts.
- Refraction Test: It assesses how the eye bends light using auto refraction,
retinoscopy, and subjective refraction.
- Cover Test: Cover test evaluates eye alignment and movement.
- Retinal Evaluation: Examines the retina for signs of Myopia-related damage.
- Corneal Topography: It maps the cornea’s surface to detect irregularities
Accurate Diagnosis and Effective Treatment:
Our comprehensive diagnostic approach ensures the accurate detection and management of Myopia in children of all ages. In the next section, we will look at 3 important treatment options for myopia in children.
how to treat Myopia
After a comprehensive diagnosis and evaluation of myopia, our experts at EDO Eye Hospital will recommend personalized treatment plans to manage and slow down the progression of myopia.
Here are 3 important treatments for myopia in children:
1. Corrective eyewear:
Glasses or Contact Lenses are often the first line of treatment when it comes to eye conditions. These are convenient and non-invasive. Corrective eyewear is available in various styles and materials. However, regular adjustments may be needed over time.
2. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K):
This non-surgical procedure reshapes the cornea while your child sleeps. It involves nightly wear with no surgery or implants. However, it results in temporary correction (that lasts up to 24 hours) and may require adjustments. This is why it is suitable for children as young as 6.
3. Refractive Surgery (for severe cases):
Ophthalmologists may also recommend surgical operations for severe Myopia, e.g. LASIK or PRK surgery. It leads to permanent correction and results in improved vision quality.
Recovery time is also short. However, it may involve some surgical complications and is generally recommended for children above age 16.
Conclusion:
Though myopia is treatable, it requires special attention and effective management in children to prevent long-term vision impairment. At EDO Eye Hospital we are dedicated to prioritizing your eye health above all.