Adam Purcell
Optical Professional Services Manager, Asda Opticians
Instances of myopia are increasing in children. Optometrists can help parents and carers understand what options are available to help reduce the risk of the condition developing and progressing.
The prevalence of myopia — or shortsightedness — is increasing globally, with almost 5 billion people predicted to have it by 2050. There’s another statistic to consider: more children are becoming myopic at a younger age. In the UK, the proportion of young people (aged 10–16 years) with myopia has more than doubled in the last half-century.
Myopia causes and risk factors
Myopia occurs if the eyeball is too long from front to back, or if the cornea is too steep, which affects where the light is focused on the back of the eye. “Instead of the eye receiving a clear picture, light falls in front of the retina, making the image blurry,” explains Adam Purcell, Optical Professional Services Manager at Asda Opticians. “It’s a bit like using a projector. If the screen is positioned too far away, then the image won’t be clear.”
While there’s no cure for myopia, there
are ways to reduce the risk of it
developing, or at least slow its progression.
Genetics play a part, so children with parents or siblings with myopia are more likely to develop the condition; as are people of East Asian origin. Modern lifestyles could also contribute to longer use of screens, and more time spent indoors is thought to increase myopia risk.
“Children who become myopic under the age of nine are at higher risk of it progressing, compared to those who develop the condition in their teens or twenties,” says Purcell. People with higher levels of myopia are at increased risk of serious eye conditions such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts and myopic maculopathy, all of which have the potential to affect vision permanently.
Importance of regular eye tests for children
While there’s no cure for myopia, there are ways to reduce the risk of it developing, or at least slow its progression. For example, specific multifocal spectacle lenses and contact lenses are designed to reduce the rate at which myopia changes — these solutions are suitable for children.
“Dual focus areas of the lenses provide clear vision to the wearer, but they also include areas of de-focus, which reduce the stimulus that promotes eyeball elongation,” says Purcell. “When worn for a significant portion of the day, they can make a significant reduction in how myopia progresses.”
Whether or not your child is displaying symptoms, Purcell is a big advocate for regular eye tests. “The NHS offers free eye tests for under-16s,” he says. “Even if you don’t have any concerns, it’s easy to have their eyes checked regularly.”
