Lighten Up Life With Prevention Of Myopia

Myopia in Children

Adhere to moderate outdoor activities, so that the eyes are often bathed in natural light can effectively reduce the incidence of juvenile myopia.

Why juvenile myopia rate is high?

In recent years, the myopia rate of Chinese teenager is high, more and more children become high myopia. There are many causes of myopia, which is mainly due to prolonged short-distance use of eyes, such as reading, homework, watching TV, playing video games. In addition, lack of outdoor activities is also very important cause of myopia.

How important is outdoor activity?

Bathing in natural light is to encourage children to go outside.

Numerous studies abroad confirm that outdoor activities can be effective in preventing myopia.

When outdoors, the eye and physical contact with sunlight may cause the body to secrete more dopamine and vitamin D, effectively inhibit the growth of the eyeball, thereby inhibiting the occurrence and development of myopia. Secondly, the high illumination intensity leads to miosis, deepen the depth of field, thereby increasing the visual acuity, slowing the progression of myopia.

Do you have to do physical exercise when you go outdoors?

Bathing in natural light, is not necessarily physical exercise, hiking, walking and other outdoor activities can all be counted in. We encourage outdoor activities, but do not encourage long stay in the area of strong light intensity. If it is in the strong ultraviolet region of the plateau, it is recommended to wear sunglasses to block UV light and reduce eye fatigue or the damage caused by light stimulation. Certainly, do not look directly at the sun.

How parents found the child early signs of myopia?

In the early stage of myopia, children will show squinting, head tilt, move closer. Once the parents found one of the performance, they should take the child to the regular medical institutions for visual inspection.

What should we do now?

Parents should pay extra attention to the below items and tips, so as to control and slow their children’s myopia progression as much as possible.

Q1:How often should children get a check-up?
The structure of each part of children’s eyeball is at developing stage; therefore parents should take their children to the eye clinic for regular check-up every six months. The doctor will conduct detailed inspection, cycloplegic refraction and create individual refraction development record for each child, thus to better monitor the progress of children’s myopia.

Q2:Should children wear glasses?

Many parents are unwilling to let their children wear glasses, as they fear that their children’s myopia power might get even higher. Actually, when children are diagnosed with myopic, their eyesight should be corrected timely to keep visual clarity and prevent the unbalance between eye’s regulatory function and convergence function, so as to alleviate eye strain and improve their learning efficiency.

Q3:Apart from frame glasses, are there any other methods for myopia correction?

In addition to eyeglasses, children can choose to wear orthokeratology lens under the ophthalmologist’s guidance and close follow-up. Or they can use soft corneal contact lens to correct their eyesight. When children grow up and their power of myopia stabilizes, they may consider refractive surgery.

Q4:What are the healthy eye care habits?

-While reading and writing, children should maintain a good sitting posture and hold pens correctly. They should not overuse the eyes and they should have proper reading lights at home.

-Use electronic products like computer, television, cell phone, iPad and game machine as less frequently as possible.

-Get more outdoor activities. Two to three hours of outdoor activity can control and postpone the progress of myopia effectively.

-Get sufficient sleeping hours. Don’t be a picky eater and have a balanced diet.

Q5:Is acupuncture therapy or therapeutic equipment effective?

Currently, there are various commercials about myopia treatment methods on the market like massage, acupuncture therapy, physiotherapy unit, etc. However, parents must know that none of these has been approved by authoritative organization.

Q6:Will myopia lead to other eye diseases?

When children’s myopia presents the following distinguishing features: young age for the occurrence of myopia, fast progression of myopia degree, high myopia, obvious increase in ocular axial length, high myopia parents. Apart from paying attention to visual change on a regular basis, parents should also watch out for children’s other abnormalities during the early stage of myopia such as photopsia, floaters, and sudden decline in eyesight, soreness and pain in eyes. Parents should be vigilant of the occurrence of retinal detachment, fundus hemorrhage, glaucoma, etc. Once any of the above symptoms happens, children should seek an immediate medical check-up.