Floaters are sometimes annoying, people with floaters will see "black spots" floating in their eyes, not painful or itchy and unable to rub open, when you look directly at them, they will disappear in an instant. Floaters come in different shapes, such as black dots, lines, circles, ovals, tadpoles, etc., especially when looking at a bright and clean background, it is easier to spot its presence. Floaters are a degenerative disease of the eyes, mild patients in general, as long as they are used to coexisting with black spots and floating objects in the eyes, daily life is not affected, they do not need to receive floaters treatment, but if the black spots or floating objects in the eyes are too large or too much, floaters suddenly attack or flash, so that vision is damaged, you should seek improvement methods, find an ophthalmologist for the treatment of floaters for consultation and surgery or laser treatment of floaters, otherwise, the longer it drags on, the more serious or blind!
What is floaters?
Floaters are medically a phenomenon of vitreous degeneration of the eye. The vitreous is a transparent gel located behind the lens and before the retina. Normally, the vitreous fills the entire vitreous cavity to support the shape of the eyeball. But with age, myopia and other problems, the vitreous will liquefy and shrink, forming turbid fibers, and these fibers will float around in the vitreous, when the light refracts these fibers, the patient will feel that there are black spots in the eyes, which is the precursor of floaters.
Floaters are medically a phenomenon of vitreous degeneration of the eye. The vitreous is a transparent gel located behind the lens and before the retina. Normally, the vitreous fills the entire vitreous cavity to support the shape of the eyeball. But with age, myopia and other problems, the vitreous will liquefy and shrink, forming turbid fibers, and these fibers will float around in the vitreous, when the light refracts these fibers, the patient will feel that there are black spots in the eyes, which is the precursor of floaters.
Who is most likely to develop floaters?
Floaters usually become more common with age, so older people are more likely to have dark spots in their eyes. But in addition to age, other factors that may increase the risk of floaters include myopia, history of eye surgery, eye trauma or eye inflammation. According to clinical studies, high-risk groups for floaters include:
Middle-aged and elderly
People with high myopia
People with hypertension/diabetes
Have had eye surgery
Blows to the head, e.g. car accidents, divers
Other eye problems, such as eye inflammation
However, most floaters are benign, such as because of old vitreous degeneration, or excessive eye fatigue, there may be symptoms of floaters, as long as there are more black spots in the eyes, and the position is fixed, do not worry too much.
Conversely, if suddenly there are a large number of dark spots in the eye that have affected the field of vision or there is a flash, it may be vitreous peeling, resulting in pulling the retina to the hole or even falling off. This condition must be investigated immediately, for improvement, or for floaters.
Causes of floaters
The causes of floaters can be broadly divided into three types, namely physiological, degenerative and pathological.
Physiological
About 80% of floaters are physiological. Physiological floaters usually occur in people under the age of 40 or people who have been using their eyes for a long time, and most people will see black spots in the eyes, which are vitreous impurities that usually do not affect vision, and do not need to be treated immediately for floaters, and will disappear on their own over time
Degenerative
As we age, the vitreous body of the eyeball, like other organs in the body, gradually deteriorates. In this degeneration process, the vitreous body will shrink to form fine fibers, these fibers will float in the glass, when the light enters the eye, and these impurities refract, it is the black spots in our eyes.
Pathological
Pathological floaters are caused by eye disease or systemic vascular disease. The so-called eye disease refers to the retina under the pull or degeneration of the process of the retina in the process of tearing or degeneration, resulting in vitreous hemorrhage, and even retinal peeling, resulting in visual impairment, and in the worst case, permanent blindness. In addition, systemic vascular diseases, such as eye stroke, diabetes, hypertension or macular degeneration, if not paid attention to and actively treated, may also appear pathological floaters, patients should seek to improve floaters as soon as possible.
Complications of floaters – retinal detachment/tear
Although suffering from floaters is not a serious disease, retinal detachment caused by floaters is an emergency in ophthalmology. One in four people with floaters may have their vision affected by retinal detachment or a tear. Keep in mind that if you have these signs of retinal detachment due to floaters, including:
There are a large number of dark spots in the eyes in a short time
Unusual flashes
shadow
The view is blocked
This means that there may be cracks in the retina, and it is important to seek immediate medical attention for treatment, otherwise floaters will cause permanent damage to vision or even blindness.
How is floaters treated?
If you have benign floaters, you do not need to be treated immediately. When you notice dark spots in your eyes, you can try moving the eyes to let the fluid flow through the eyes so that the fibers leave the line of sight. Of course, some people can't bear the black spots floating around in their eyes, and their attention is often disturbed by black spots, which seriously affects their mood, so they can consider floaters treatment.
With current technology, the main treatment and improvement of floaters is laser therapy and vitrectomy.
First, laser treatment of floaters
This floater treatment is suitable for large and concentrated vitreous fibers, using laser light to break these fibers into smaller fragments, through these methods to improve and eliminate floater symptoms. The laser treatment is performed under local anesthesia without pain and the whole treatment takes only 15 to 20 minutes. However, not everyone is suitable for laser treatment to improve floaters, and if the fibers are loose or too close to the macula or crystals, it should not be performed to avoid complications such as cataracts or macular damage.
Second, vitrectomy surgery to treat floaters
Vitrectomy is performed by removing the vitreous inside the eye through a small incision and replacing it with a solution to maintain the shape of the eye. The procedure only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. However, vitrectomy does not necessarily completely remove the fibers, and if the surgery itself causes bleeding or retinal tears, new floats may form, so most physicians do not recommend this procedure to treat floaters.
Floaters improvement and maintenance methods
Once floaters occur, it is almost difficult to reverse, even after laser or surgical treatment, there is a possibility of recurrence, what we can do is to live peacefully with it, or we can improve floaters by the following methods to reduce symptoms slightly.
First, the daily maintenance of benign floaters
Avoid excessive eye use
PAY ATTENTION NOT TO OVERWORK THE EYES, ESPECIALLY 3C HEAVY USERS, YOU SHOULD LET THE EYES REST FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES EVERY 1 HOUR, USE THE REST TIME TO BLINK, LOOK INTO THE DISTANCE TO RELAX THE EYES.
Good living habits
In daily life, it is recommended to reduce the time spent playing with mobile phones, especially to avoid staying up late at night to look at mobile phones, to ensure that you have enough sleep and do exercise in a timely manner, which is also a way to improve floaters.
Regular follow-up
Do not think that you have benign floaters can relax, floaters must be regularly checked to avoid other lesions, miss the best time for treatment.
Eye care diet
Foods with antioxidant effects, such as berries, green or yellow vegetables, carrots, soybeans, milk, and fish oil, should be consumed in your diet to help improve floaters.
2. Postoperative care and maintenance of malignant floaters
Medication treatment
After surgery, be sure to follow the doctor's instructions, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap before each medicine to avoid cross-infection.
Improve your lifestyle
Rapid eye movements and excessive eye use should be avoided for 1 week after surgery. Try not to read books, mobile phones, computers, TV, etc. during this period. In addition, it is recommended not to do strenuous exercise, climbing, diving, or flying, as these activities can irritate the eyes and affect the speed of postoperative repair.
Use an eye patch
During eye repair, it is recommended to wear an eye mask at all times to prevent collisions and avoid unconsciously rubbing your eyes when sleeping at night. It is necessary to ensure that the eye mask is clean when using, and it is recommended to wash and disinfect the eye mask daily to avoid wound infection due to bacteria.
Daily diet
In addition to avoiding irritating foods, it is also necessary to avoid eating legumes, because such foods are easy to let the nitric oxide in the blood run into the eyes, causing the inert gas in the eyes to produce flatulence and increase the pressure in the eyes.
Safe at home
Keep your home clean and tidy, reduce dust and avoid secondhand smoke, and do not change the layout of the home or place objects in the aisle during the recovery period, so as not to cause collisions or falls in unfamiliar environments and irritate the eyes.
Regular follow-up visits
In addition to following the doctor's advice for regular follow-up consultations after surgery, if you notice eye discomfort, such as persistent eye pain, sudden blurred vision, nausea, increased or larger dark shadows, etc., remember to consult your ophthalmologist immediately to avoid worsening of the condition.
How can floaters be prevented?
Although we cannot completely avoid the occurrence of floaters, we can slow down the aging of the eyes and reduce the chance of developing floaters through daily maintenance.
1. Develop good eye habits
AVOID EXCESSIVE USE OF 3C PRODUCTS (1 HOUR WITH EYES AND 5-10 MINUTES BREAK)
Works in sufficient light and stable without flickering
Avoid staying up late to increase the burden on your eyes
2. Intake of eye care nutrients
Carotenoids (dark green, dark yellow and red fruits and vegetables)
Anthocyanins (plum fruits)
VITAMINS (VITAMINS A, B, C AND E)
Omega3 fatty acids (fish oil)
3. Proper control of systemic vascular diseases (such as: diabetes, hypertension)
Maintain a balanced nutrition and reduce the intake of foods high in oil and salt and sugar
Regular exercise (jogging, cycling)
Have regular full-body examinations
Although most floaters can not be treated, they should not be completely ignored, and they must be checked regularly, and if symptoms are aggravated, they should seek medical attention immediately to avoid missing the golden period of floater treatment.
High myopia itself does not directly cause serious harm to vision, as there are a variety of ways to help improve myopia. However, the formation of high myopia is due to changes in the structure of the eyeball, so even if vision is improved using other methods, it is still necessary to face a series of complications that can lead to deep myopia, such as cataracts, retinal perforation and even peeling, glaucoma, etc.
If left untreated, these problems can lead to permanent blindness. Therefore, people with high myopia need to have an in-depth understanding of these potential risks and have regular eye exams to ensure healthy vision and deal with any issues promptly.
Definition of high myopia
High myopia is a relatively severe level of myopia. Myopia of 600 degrees or more, medically defined as high myopia. Its formation is associated with changes in the length of the eyeball.
The normal length range of an adult eyeball is 22-27mm. If the length of the eyeball is greater than 27mm, it will cause high myopia. In almost all cases, genetics play a role in the development of high myopia. If both parents are nearsighted, then their child also has a greater chance of developing high myopia.
Complications of high myopia
High myopia itself usually does not cause vision loss. However, people with this condition are more likely to develop several other sight-threatening diseases.
Retinal perforation or even detachment
The retina is the imaging site of the eye, located in the inner layer of the eyeball wall, and is a transparent film. The retina of people with high myopia will be more fragile than that of normal people, because the retina will be stretched and thinned after the eyeball becomes longer, and the retina will be more prone to perforation or rupture after thinning, and retinal detachment may occur in severe cases.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the optic nerve is damaged due to abnormal pressure in the eyeball due to excessive or inability to drain fluid from the eyeball. In people with high myopia, the eyeball is too long, so the optic nerve or supporting tissues and blood vessels inside the eye are under more pressure, which leads to changes in intraocular pressure and the formation of glaucoma.
Cataract
People with high myopia are more likely to develop cataracts than the general population because the structure of the eye has changed, which may increase the burden on the lens, which in turn will lead to accelerated aging of the lens and the formation of cataracts.
Macular lesions and bleeding
Because of the long axis of the eye, there may be cracks in the basement membrane of cells below the macula of the retina in people with high myopia. Due to the body's self-healing function, new blood vessels grow from the choroid to the retina. In addition to occupying the photoreceptor cell layer and affecting the central visual field, these new blood vessels are susceptible to damage and cause bleeding, blood clots, and scar tissue, which can affect central vision.
Floaters
There are two main causes of floaters caused by high myopia. In the case of high myopia, the eye will age at an accelerated rate, which can lead to changes in the structure of the fibers inside the vitreous humor, and when light enters the eye, these fibers are projected onto the retina, like a mosquito floating in the eye.
Another cause is retinal detachment or tear caused by high myopia, which leads to the appearance of floaters.
High myopia test
Ophthalmologists will recommend patients with high myopia to undergo a comprehensive eye examination once or twice a year, and once symptoms are found, they can be treated immediately, making it less difficult to treat.
In the examination of high myopia, the ophthalmologist usually performs the following tests depending on the individual's situation:
Visual acuity test: An eye test is the most common eye test and is used to determine if the eye power is stable.
Fundus examination: Fundus examination will use color fundus photography to check for lesions or abnormalities in the optic nerve, blood vessels, retina, vitreous, etc.
Intraocular pressure and visual field test: Intraocular pressure and visual field test can assess whether you are at risk of developing glaucoma, and if signs are found during the examination, the doctor can treat it before it affects your vision.
Ocular CT: Ocular CT is an optical coherence tomography (OCT) that can help detect macular lesions early.
Slit-lamp examination: The doctor can clearly observe the eyelids, conjunctiva, sclera, cornea, anterior chamber, iris, pupil, lens and anterior 1/3 of the vitreous through the slit-lamp microscope, and can determine the location, nature, size and depth of the lesion.
Regular eye exams can detect any underlying eye problems early and prompt appropriate treatment measures to ensure healthy vision.
Even if laser vision correction surgery reduces the degree of high myopia, complications cannot be avoided
In recent years, some patients with high myopia have undergone laser vision correction surgery, and their myopia has decreased, so they have forgotten to continue to pay attention to the problems that may be caused by high myopia. But in fact, laser correction only changes the curvature of the cornea, not the length of the eyeball. Therefore, all complications arising from the length of the eyeball will not be reduced by LAIS!
High myopia causes cataracts to deepen rapidly
In a recent study of cataracts and cataract surgical outcomes for high myopia, researchers found that cataracts in highly myopic eyes occurred more quickly compared to normal eyes. In addition, there is a higher prevalence of comorbid diseases and complications (e.g., retinal detachment) in the eye with high myopia.
Therefore, people with high myopia must have a routine eye exam so that their ophthalmologist can monitor the health of their eyes and look for these symptoms as well as signs of other complications of severe myopia.
Cataract surgery involves minimally invasive removal of the cloudy lens and implantation of an intraocular lens, which takes about 10 to 30 minutes, but post-cataract surgery care takes up to 1 to 2 months.
In addition to following the doctor's instructions for medication, follow-up visits, and maintaining eye hygiene, how should patients take care of themselves to speed up the recovery time after cataract surgery?
How long do I have to rest after cataract surgery?
Modern cataract surgery is minimally invasive, usually with a 0.2 cm wound. Therefore, exactly how long to rest after cataract surgery depends mainly on the individual's vision recovery.
In general, most patients can see clearly by the second day after cataract surgery. With careful care, vision can be fully restored within 1 week to 1 month after cataract surgery.
However, we generally recommend that patients after cataract surgery use both eyes normally as soon as possible to speed up the recovery time after cataract surgery. Within a few hours of cataract surgery, if you can see clearly, you can do daily activities such as watching TV, using a computer, eating, and showering.
However, cataract surgery should be followed by careful care, medication as recommended by the doctor, eye cleaning, strenuous exercise and heavy lifting. When the eyes are tired, they should rest properly.
Precautions after cataract surgery
Although cataract surgery is considered a minor surgery, neglect of cataract surgery can lead to intraocular infections and even the risk of blindness. Therefore, proper cataract postoperative maintenance is crucial.
Follow your doctor's instructions to clean your eyes and avoid scratching your eyes.
Avoid collisions, heavy lifting, or strenuous exercise for 1 month after surgery to avoid affecting wound healing or displacement of the intraocular lens.
Avoid bending over to wash your hair for 2 weeks after surgery, and avoid splashing sewage in your eyes when showering.
Wear an eye mask before going to bed.
Wear sunglasses when you go out to prevent light from shining on your eyes.
If you have eye discomfort for a long time, such as severe pain, severe redness and swelling, and vision loss, please treat it immediately.
After-effects of cataract surgery
Cataract surgery is a safe and effective treatment, but there may still be some potential sequelae, but there is no need to worry too much, most of the sequelae of cataract surgery are mild or rare, as long as the vision can be restored with careful care or timely treatment after cataract surgery.
Here are some possible cataract surgery sequelae:
Seeing flashes or shadows: It's fairly common to feel some flashes or shadows within a few hours or days after cataract surgery, but these symptoms go away in a short period of time and don't cause much concern.
High intraocular pressure: In some cases, it may cause an increase in intraocular pressure after surgery, which usually disappears after 24 hours. If the intraocular pressure continues to rise, then it may be a problem with residual crystal cortex, inflammation, viscoelastic residue, etc., and you need to seek medical attention immediately.
Light sensitivity: After surgery, patients may be more sensitive to bright light, so remember to wear sunglasses when you go out. Over time, the eyes will naturally adapt and the symptoms of light sensitivity will lessen.
Posterior capsule opacity: After surgery, some patients may have blurred vision due to the proliferation of epidermal cells in the posterior capsule surrounding the lens. This condition can be corrected with laser treatment, which can improve the symptoms of the eyes.
Retinal detachment: If you suddenly see something floating or flashing lights at some point after cataract surgery, making it difficult to see what is in front of you, it is most likely a symptom of retinal detachment, and consult an ophthalmologist immediately for further treatment.
Floaters: Some patients find black spots in their eyes after cataract surgery, because their vision was too blurry before cataract surgery to detect the presence of floaters. Floaters are one of the symptoms of eye aging, and if there is no sudden increase in black spots, you can ignore it.
Patients should take proper care of cataract surgery and follow up on time, and seek immediate assistance from an ophthalmologist if there are unusual visual changes after cataract surgery.
Cataract Surgery Frequently Asked Questions
1.How long should I wear sunglasses after cataract surgery?
1 to 2 weeks. After cataract surgery, patients will suddenly feel that the environment becomes brighter and that they can see things clearly, which may cause them to feel uncomfortable with luminosity. Therefore, during the 1st and 2nd weeks after surgery, we recommend that patients wear sunglasses to help their eyes adjust to the light environment.
2.How long after cataract surgery can I wash my own hair?
After the 2nd week or 1 month postoperatively. Although the wound after cataract surgery is small, there is still a risk of infection. When washing your hair yourself, sewage may splash on your eyes, so it is recommended to ask someone else to wash your hair as much as possible within the second week or one month after the surgery, and you must lie flat or on your back when washing your hair to reduce the risk of infection.
3.How Long After Cataract Surgery Can I Touch Water?
1 month. We cannot guarantee that you will not touch water for 1 month after cataract surgery, but what you can do is to avoid contact with water as much as possible. Consider using a face wipe instead of water when washing your face, while eye secretions can be cleaned with cooked water to prevent bacterial infection.
4.How Long After Cataract Surgery Can I Live a Normal Life?
After cataract surgery, it usually takes about 1 month to ensure the stability of the intraocular lens. During this time, as long as you avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise, you can basically return to your normal life or return to work the next day after surgery. If possible, it is advisable to take appropriate rest for the first week after surgery. However, patients still need to take good care of their eyes after cataract surgery and follow up on time.
5.How long does it take for vision to recover after cataract surgery?
Generally speaking, the vision will be significantly improved the day after cataract surgery, as long as you pay attention to maintenance after cataract surgery, your vision can be restored to 8~9% within 1 week. If the vision is completely restored and the wound is completely healed, it usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks, and the prescription will be relatively stable at this time.
6.Will cataract recurrence after surgery?
No. However, about 5% of patients will feel that their vision will gradually become blurred after a period of surgery, because the epidermal cells proliferate in the posterior capsule, causing the posterior capsule to become cloudy, which can be improved with laser treatment. Therefore, when vision changes occur after cataract surgery, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible and treat them in time.
Myopia is one of the most common eye problems among children nowadays. According to the Department of Health, about 18% of children aged 6 in Hong Kong have myopia. The rate of myopia in 12-year-olds is as high as 62%, which is much higher than that in other Eurasia regions. In addition to bad eye habits, if parents themselves have high myopia, the chance of children suffering from myopia will also increase significantly. Therefore, early prevention and control of myopia in children is extremely important.
Electronic products are the leading cause of myopia in children
With the popularization of electronic products, the age group of myopic children has gradually increased. Many parents use electronic products as children's pacifiers, and children develop the habit of relying on electronic products when their eyes are not fully developed, affecting the normal development of their eyes.
Among children with myopia, up to 80% of children myopia is caused by poor eye habits. Watching the electronic screen for a long time will make the pupil constantly adapt to the change of light source, so that the ciliary muscle that regulates the pupil is always in a state of tension, resulting in excessive eye fatigue and enhancing the risk of myopia in children. To prevent or control myopia in children, parents must strictly control the amount of time their children spend using electronic devices, encourage them to participate in outdoor activities, and reduce their reliance on electronic nipples.
Is myopia in children also true and false?
But in fact, myopia also has "true myopia" and "pseudomyopia", the former is because the eye structure has changed, so it cannot recover naturally; The latter is a manifestation of temporary eye fatigue, which can be improved as long as the eye muscles are properly relaxed. Since the two types of myopia recover in different ways, the focus should be on understanding which type of myopia children belong to.
Pseudomyopia often occurs in children under the age of 12, because the ciliary muscles of children are quite powerful, and they use electronic products for a long time in close proximity, which is prone to the inability of the ciliary muscles to relax naturally, resulting in pseudomyopia. However, as long as the eyes are sufficiently rested, children with pseudomyopia can return to normal vision.
If you suspect that the child at home has vision problems, it is recommended to seek an ophthalmologist for examination immediately, usually pseudomyopia in children can be restored, most of them are ordered to relax the eyes, so as to detect the true refractive state of the eyes, to judge true/false myopia.
Although pseudomyopia in children can recover, it is also a major sign of myopia, and if children do not correct their eye habits in time, they may also become true myopia.
How to find out if a child has myopia?
Children will not realize that they have vision problems, so parents should pay extra attention to whether children have myopia or other vision problems through observation. If the following signs of myopia occur, parents should take their child to consult an ophthalmologist:
Blink or rub your eyes frequently
Often pull the corners of your eyes or squint to see things in the distance
Often tilt your head to see things
When looking at things, the eyes are close to things
What are the consequences of neglecting to control myopia in children?
Some parents may think that if their children's myopia is not deep, they can ignore it. However, in fact, if children's myopia is not controlled, the degree of myopia will gradually increase with age, and even soar in a short period of time. If you already have myopia at a young age, it is easy to cause myopia to exceed 500 degrees.
But do you think it's just as simple as deepening myopia? No! When the degree of myopia is deeper, the chance of suffering from eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration will increase exponentially in the future, and severe may even lead to blindness.
Cataracts: People with high myopia tend to degenerate and cloudify their lenses, leading to an increased risk of cataracts.
Glaucoma: People with high myopia have higher intraocular pressure and are 4 times more likely to develop glaucoma.
Macular degeneration: Among patients with myopia of 800 degrees and myopia for 10 years, about 5~10% of patients have macular degeneration.
Floaters: The vitreous of highly myopic people is prone to degeneration, resulting in fibrofilamentous suspended solids.
Retinal detachment: The retina of highly myopic people is prone to degeneration or atrophy, and the risk of developing retinal detachment is more than 20 times that of ordinary people.
Therefore, parents should actively pay attention to the degree of myopia in children and take control and preventive measures to avoid children becoming highly myopic in the future.
What are the ways to control myopia in children?
Generally speaking, the ideal rate of myopia progression for children should be maintained at no more than 50 degrees per year. If children's myopia increases by more than 100 degrees per year, it is an unusual situation, and it may develop into high myopia in the future, and even increase the risk of complications, so the medical community has been committed to developing a variety of methods to control and improve myopia in children in recent years to slow down the progression of myopia in children.
Low-concentration atropine eye drops
Low-concentration atropine eye drops can inhibit scleral overgrowth, slow down eye elongation, and then control the progression of myopia in children, which can slow the progression by 67% in 1 year.
However, some children may experience photophobia side effects after using low-concentration atropine eye drops, or may not be clear when seeing things at close range, so caution should be taken before using low-concentration atropine eye drops.
ORTHOKERATOLOGY CONTACT LENSES (OK LENSES)
ORTHOKERATOLOGY CONTACT LENSES (OK LENSES) ARE CONTACT LENSES WORN AT NIGHT AND ARE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH MYOPIA WHOSE MYOPIA DOES NOT EXCEED 600 DEGREES. THE PRINCIPLE IS TO HELP SHAPE THE CORNEA THROUGH HIGHLY OXYGEN-PERMEABLE RIGID LENSES, ALLOWING USERS TO SEE CLEARLY DURING THE DAY WITHOUT GLASSES. STUDIES HAVE CONFIRMED THAT LONG-TERM WEARING OF OK LENSES CAN CONTROL THE DEEPENING OF MYOPIA IN CHILDREN, AND GENERALLY CAN DELAY THE SPEED OF MYOPIA IN CHILDREN TO 50%~80%.
However, orthokeratology contact lenses are only temporary vision corrections, and if they are stopped, the deepening of myopia in children will return to their original state.
IN ADDITION, THE PRICE OF OK LENSES TO CONTROL CHILDREN'S MYOPIA IS USUALLY AROUND HK$5,000~HK$10,000, PLUS THE LENSES NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 9 MONTHS OR SO, SO THE PRICE OF SUCH CHILDREN'S MYOPIA CONTROL LENSES MAY BE A BIT BURDENSOME FOR SOME FAMILIES.
DEFOCUSING LENSES (DIMS)
There are two degrees of defocusing lenses, namely ordinary myopia lenses in the center and peripheral lenses, which use myopic defocusing optical elements to focus peripheral images in front of the retina, thereby slowing down eye elongation and controlling the speed of myopia in children. Studies have confirmed that children who wear defocusing lenses have significantly reduced myopia by 52% within 2 years.
UNFORTUNATELY, DEFOCUSING LENSES ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR MYOPIC CHILDREN WITH MYOPIA OF NO MORE THAN 650 DEGREES AND ASTIGMATISM OF NO MORE THAN 400 DEGREES, AND CHILDREN WHO EXCEED THIS DEGREE CAN ONLY FIND OTHER CONTROL SOLUTIONS. IN ADDITION, THE PRICE OF THESE CHILDREN'S MYOPIA CONTROL LENSES IS NOT LOW, AND MOST OF THE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CHILDREN'S MYOPIA CONTROL DEFOCUSING LENSES START FROM HK$4,000, WHICH DIRECTLY DISCOURAGES PARENTS WHO WANT TO USE LENSES TO CONTROL CHILDREN'S MYOPIA.
AN EARLIER METHOD TO CONTROL MYOPIA IN CHILDREN - AI MYOPIA CONTROL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN
As mentioned above, some eye drops to control myopia in children may have side effects, and the current high price of defocusing lenses for controlling myopia in children, coupled with the so-called "prevention is better than cure", parents are beginning to realize that to control children's myopia and the chance of myopia deepening, they should not start planning after discovering that they have myopia, but should start to control the risk of myopia in children at an earlier stage.
THE CHILDREN'S AI MYOPIA CONTROL PROGRAM IS A KEY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS, WITH A PREDICTION ACCURACY RATE OF MORE THAN 80%. THE PURPOSE IS TO PREDICT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYOPIA IN CHILDREN IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS IN ADVANCE, AND CUSTOMIZE INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS IN ADVANCE TO CONTROL THE DEEPENING OF MYOPIA OR RESTORE VISION IN CHILDREN.
THE MAIN PROCESS OF THE CHILDREN'S AI MYOPIA CONTROL PROGRAM IS AS FOLLOWS:
Fill in the questionnaire on children's habits
Perform various eye examinations
Enter the examination data and analyze the children's myopia in the next 3 years through artificial intelligence and big data
Parents and ophthalmologists can use the reports and charts to find out whether children's myopia development is at high risk
Based on the evaluation results, the ophthalmologist will customize personalized treatment for the child to delay the progression of myopia in children and reduce the risk of high myopia.
At present, the children's AI myopia control project led by ophthalmologist Dr. Tang Wenjie has been verified in 129,242 adolescent populations, with a prediction accuracy rate of more than 80%, providing early warning of myopia among adolescents.
PARENTS CAN ACCURATELY PREDICT THEIR CHILDREN'S FUTURE MYOPIA CHANGES THROUGH THE "AI INTELLIGENT PLATFORM FOR MYOPIA CONTROL IN CHILDREN", AND THE PREDICTION RESULTS CAN BE INTELLIGENTLY ANALYZED THROUGH THE BIG DATA OF THIS AI PLATFORM, SO THAT PARENTS CAN OBSERVE THE CHANGES IN THE REFRACTIVE ERROR PERFORMANCE OF THEIR CHILDREN AT DIFFERENT AGES ACCORDING TO THE PREDICTION REPORT (PARENTS CAN SEE THIS AS THE "REFRACTIVE DEVELOPMENT FILE"). BASED ON THE FORECAST REPORT, THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST WILL ALSO ANALYZE THE CURRENT MYOPIA SITUATION OF THE CHILDREN FOR PARENTS IN DETAIL, COMPARE THE NORMAL REFRACTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE SAME AGE GROUP, AND FORMULATE PERSONALIZED MYOPIA TREATMENT PLANS.
Everyday ways to improve or control myopia in children
To prevent or control myopia, in addition to seeking the help of an ophthalmologist, parents can also help myopic children recover or improve their vision from daily life.
Establish proper eye habits
Try to stipulate that children should maintain a correct sitting posture when doing homework or reading, avoid lying on their stomachs or lying down, and should also avoid them reading or playing with mobile phones in a dim environment, and control the daily use of electronic products by myopic children, and develop the good habit of resting for 5~10 minutes every 30 minutes with their eyes.
Consume eye-friendly foods
PARENTS CAN ALSO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN MORE EYE PROTECTION FOODS SUCH AS VITAMINS A, C, E, LUTEIN, ANTHOCYANINS, ETC., WHICH CAN HELP MYOPIC CHILDREN RESTORE OR IMPROVE THEIR VISION.
Outdoor activities
It is recommended that parents take children to outdoor activities every day, such as playground play, park walking, reduce their time to use electronic products, and outdoor sunlight can also stimulate the secretion of retinal dopamine, effectively control the deepening of myopia in children.
Myopia in children develops very quickly, and the slightest attention can quickly soar. Therefore, in addition to supervising children to develop good eye habits in daily life, it is recommended that parents regularly take children for eye examinations. Once abnormalities are found, appropriate control measures and treatment plans can be taken in time to ensure the health of children's vision.
