Can you prevent Myopia in children?
Myopia, which is also known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, is a growing problem. Myopia usually begins in childhood when the eyeball grows too long, causing blurry distance vision. The condition is caused by family history, lifestyle or both. It also tends to get worse as kids get older because their eyes continue to grow. This can have a significant impact on a child’s everyday life and can sometimes lead to future eye health problems. Fortunately, new research is lighting the path to improved strategies to manage myopia in children. At Mountain Eye Care, we take Myopia very seriously, especially with young children. You can find Myopia control treatment at our Mountain Eye Care facility today! In this blog, we talk about how to prevent Myopia from occurring in children.
Click here to book a Myopia Control appointment with us at Mountain Eye Care.
Put Your Children’s Devices Away
Today’s youth spend a lot of time performing near work activities, often on electronic devices. Of course, it’s unrealistic to ask kids not to use these tools at all, but try to limit them so that there’s more balance in your child’s day. With how much a child’s vision develops at a young age, there is no reason to have your child stare at the TV or other electronic devices for hours on end. If you limit their screen time, you can help their vision long term.
Send Your Kids Outside to Play
Kids spend a lot of time indoors at home and in classrooms, so whenever possible, try to plan more outdoor activities. Researchers suggest that myopia progression may be caused by light levels, which may be directly related to how little time kids spend outdoors nowadays. Increased outdoor activity has been shown to slow down the onset of myopia by 11-34%. One possible reason for this is because components of sunlight activate vitamin D, which can play a potential role in eye growth. Also, kids are usually engaged in more distance-vision activities when they’re outside, which places fewer strenuous near-vision demands on young eyes.
Ask Your Doctor about Ways to Manage Myopia
Regular glasses and contact lenses can help kids see more clearly, but they do not slow down the progression of myopia, which means kids may need increasingly stronger prescriptions as they continue to grow. However, certain types of contact lenses, including soft lenses, can slow down the speed at which myopia develops. Your doctor or eye health professional can arm you with numerous strategies to help prevent myopia in your child.
Mountain Eye Care is in the business of vision health. If you are looking for more information about Myopia control treatment, then we suggest that you schedule an appointment with us today! Click here to find our contact information, schedule an appointment, or to speak with a staff member.
