What Is Myopia?
Short-sightedness, or myopia, is an extremely common eye condition that makes it difficult to see things at a distance. Far away objects appear blurred, while close objects can be clearly seen.
Myopia is one of the most common conditions we handle here at Eyesite. Also known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, one in every three people in the UK suffer from myopia. Myopia can range in severity, from being so mild that corrective lenses won’t show any noticeable difference, right through to not being able to see anything clearly further than a few inches away. Myopia is caused by the eye being too long and has been linked to spending too much time focusing on close objects, like books. Other common claims are that myopia is a result of not going outdoors enough as a child.
Myopia should be corrected for activities such as driving a car. Some jobs also require accurate vision in order for them to be performed safely. Fortunately, at Eyesite, we have a range of treatments for myopia. Short-sightedness can be associated with other eye conditions, such as squint, glaucoma, and cataracts.
What Causes Myopia?
Myopia is caused by either the eye being too long, or the cornea having too much curvature. Either condition means that light entering the eye cannot be focused properly. As a result, images focus just in front of the retina, rather than upon it, sending a blurred image to your brain.
Do Your Genes Cause Myopia?
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why this condition happens. Myopia is thought to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. We know that short-sightedness runs in families. There are 40 genes that are responsible for your eye’s structure and development, so that could certainly be a cause. But it has also been known to develop in people whose family have no history of myopia.
Does Reading Too Much Cause Myopia?
Spending a long time doing close work, such as reading and writing, has shown to increase your risk of developing short-sightedness in some studies. Conversely, spending time playing outside as a child may reduce your chances of becoming short-sighted, and reduce the progress of existing short-sightedness. It is thought that the increased light levels of being outdoors contributes to protecting you from myopia.
Owing to the environmental factors with myopia risk, it is advised to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle and get regular eye tests. This is the best way to maintain good eye health and mitigate the risk of developing or advancing myopia.
Can You Cure Myopia?
As one of the most common eye conditions in the UK, there are a range of treatment options for myopia. While nothing is guaranteed to permanently cure myopia, there are some treatments that are effective in slowing its progress and limiting its effects.
How To Permanently Correct Myopia
Laser eye surgery is the closest thing we have to correcting myopia, but it does not give a 100% guarantee. On average, around 9 out of 10 people experience significant improvement in their vision and are able to meet the requirements to be able to drive.
Laser eye surgery can correct myopia because it can tackle the problem of cornea curvature. A laser burns away small sections of the cornea, allowing light to focus on the retina instead of in front of it. When light is focused on the retina, you can see clearly.
You have three options if you choose laser eye surgery:
Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK)
Laser In Situ Keratectomy (LASIK)
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
LASEK and LASIK are the preferred methods used to correct myopia. They cause little to no pain and vision starts to recover within hours or days. Unfortunately, LASIK can only be performed if your cornea is thick enough. If your cornea is too thin, LASEK and PRK are alternative options. PRK is less used these days as it is more painful and it can take your eyes months to properly stabilise.
Myopia Treatment
As one of the most common eye conditions, myopia treatments are as effective as they are numerous. The science of corrective lenses has advanced to the level that managing myopia is easy and affordable.
Treating Myopia with Corrective Lenses
Corrective lenses are an excellent and cost-effective means of treating myopia. By taking an eye test, we can determine your exact prescription and create a lens specifically designed for you. Wearing a lens will ensure that the light is focused on your retina so that distant objects look nice and clear.
Your eyesight changes as you grow, which means that you may require varifocal lenses or more than one pair of glasses. By taking regular eye tests, you can keep track of the changes your eyes are making and adjust your prescription to keep your vision clear.
Lightweight and all but invisible, contact lenses are a popular way to treat myopia. Contact lenses are available in a range of types from daily disposables to bi-weekly or monthly. Another option to treat myopia is to use firmer Ortho-K lenses that adjust the shape of your eye while you sleep, removing the need to wear corrective lenses during the day. Learn more about Ortho-K lenses.
Myopia Treatment For Children
While myopia usually develops during puberty, it is not uncommon to for young children to develop myopia. Myopia in children, if left untreated, can cause future health problems later in life, as well as making day-to-day interaction with other children and play more difficult.
Treating Myopia in Children
Corrective lenses, such as glasses are an effective means of treating myopia in children. They offer the flexibility of being easily altered as your child’s eyes change. Children with myopia can expect to find that their eyes will continue to deteriorate steadily until the eye finishes growing, around age 20. Glasses allow you to update your child’s prescription very easily as they grow.
Without corrective measures, children with myopia suffer eye strain and headaches that can lead to problems with education and reduce the fun they have while playing. Glasses can be worn by children from a very young age, which gives them an advantage over other forms of corrective lenses.
Contact Lenses for Children with Myopia
While there is no age limit for children to wear contact lenses, it is important to consider the maturity of the child to make sure they can manage the responsibility of looking after contact lenses. Generally speaking, children from the age of 8 have been seen to be able to manage their own contact lenses. Contact lenses offer the advantages of discretion, clear vision and convenience to children with myopia. Contact lenses have an advantage over traditional glasses because they don’t run the risk of falling off during sports and rough play. They also offer 360 clarity, unlike glasses that only offer clarity when you see through the lenses. Contacts can also save money by removing the need to buy prescription sunglasses.
Things to Do to Reduce the Risk of Myopia
No one quite knows what causes myopia, but we do know that there can be environmental factors. While it has been demonstrated that sitting close to the TV does not affect your vision, prolonged periods of doing close work may increase the chances of children developing myopia. It is important for children to participate in a wide range activities to maintain good general and eye health.
