Myopia in children

Cover image_Myopia in children_Control aspects_Attention

Myopia control tips for children

What are the aspects of myopia control in children that need to be paid attention to? Smart eye protection tips you need to know

At present, children often use computers to take lessons, even if they do not have to attend class, they will still often look at mobile phones and tablets, and the machine will not leave their hands, so many children are prone to myopia from an early age. A survey has pointed out that more than half of children aged 4 to 12 with myopia have used e-learning during the pandemic, resulting in a deepening of myopia, which is likely to cause deep myopia and more serious eye diseases in the future. Therefore, as a parent, you should teach your children to protect their eyes as soon as possible, do a good job in controlling children's myopia, to avoid the deepening of myopia, the following nine tips to share with you, remember to pay attention to the following when using smart mobile phones, computers, surfing the Internet or reading:

Every 20 minutes, let the eyes rest for a while

Keep plenty of light when reading

Keep a minimum line of sight of 30 cm

Turn the screen light to comfort

Do not look in bed/in the car

Increase the time spent on your daily outdoor exercise

Go to bed early and get up early every day

Eat more foods rich in vitamin A
Carrots, for example

Get a comprehensive eye exam early and regularly

Myopia control tips for children Read More »

Cover image_Causes of myopia in children_Myopia symptoms

Causes and symptoms of myopia in children

Causes of myopia in children

Hong Kong has one of the highest rates of myopia in the world, with nearly 18% of children having myopia by the age of 6! What causes myopia in children?

Myopia is due to the long eye axis, in the state of eye adjustment and relaxation of telescopic distance, parallel rays through the eyeball refractive system and focused in front of the retina, resulting in blurred far-sighted scenes, and clearer sights of near-sighting.

Myopia can be congenital, but acquired environmental factors are also the main cause of myopia, such as:

  • Long reading distances that are too close
  • Electronics are too bright and the environment is too dark
  • Look at electronic screens often
  • Lack of exposure to sunlight and outdoor time

Symptoms of myopia in children

Spotting that a child suffers from myopia?
Parents should always pay attention to the following behaviors of their children:

  • Tell you that you have a headache
  • Tell you that you can't see clearly (or have ghosting)
  • Blink and rub your eyes often
  • The eyes are often red
  • When focusing on an electronic screen or reading a book, squint or tilt your head to see clearly
  • When looking at an electronic screen or reading a book, you will cover one of your eyes 
  • Some words are often missed when reading

If parents find that their children often exhibit the above behaviors and are likely to suffer from myopia, parents are advised to take their children for eye examination as soon as possible and seek professional advice from an ophthalmologist.

Early control of myopia in children
May prevent the risk of deepening myopia

Myopia in children cannot be ignored!

Children often look at electronic screens, and the chance of suffering from myopia is greatly increased. If parents find that their child has a near future, it is recommended to consult a professional ophthalmologist for appropriate corrective treatment. There is currently a children's AI myopia control program, which can predict the myopia changes in children after three years, so as to provide personalized myopia correction treatment for children.

If corrective vision treatment is not taken, there is a high chance that myopia will deepen, and the growth of the eye axis will lead to thinner and thinner retinas, and increase the risk of various ophthalmic diseases, such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. These complications will affect vision, severe cases and even blindness, loss of vision, so it is recommended to control children's myopia as soon as possible, and correct it in time!

Taking children for eye examination as early as possible can effectively avoid or delay the progression of myopia, and reduce the chance and risk of becoming myopia in the future.

Parents remember to remind their children to start by improving their daily habits and protect their eyes from an early age!

Causes and symptoms of myopia in children Read More »

Do you know the 3 latest methods to prevent worsening of myopia in Hong Kong children?

Do you know the 3 latest methods to prevent worsening of myopia in Hong Kong children?

Myopia rate among children in Hong Kong

The myopia rate among Hong Kong children increased with age, from 6.3% of pre-school children to 18.3% at age 6 and 61.5% at age 12, while the prevalence of myopia among adults aged 21-30 was 84.7%.

If you develop deep myopia, the risk of developing different eye diseases, such as retinal detachment, cataracts, glaucoma, and yellow class disease, will be greatly increased when you grow up.

The purpose of childhood vision correction is not to stop the progression of myopia completely, but to slow down the progression of myopia.

Myopia prevention

If a child increases myopia by 100 degrees per year, it is considered to be treated for treatment, and the ideal rate of myopia progression for children is within 50 degrees per year.

Low-dose atropine eye drops are commonly used by ophthalmologists in recent years as the first line to slow myopia in children.

Research by CUHK has shown that this method can effectively slow the progression of myopia in children by up to 60%, and side effects are rare.

IN ADDITION, A MULTI-ZONE FORWARD OPTICAL DEFOCUS (DIMS) SPECTACLE LENS DESIGNED BY THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY WAS SHOWN TO SLOW THE PROGRESSION OF MYOPIA IN THE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN BY UP TO 60%.

Spectacle lenses consist of a "central optical zone" to correct refractive errors and a "multi-zone continuous myopia defocus" that extends around the central area to the perimeter of the lens.

WHEN THE WEARER IS VIEWING OBJECTS AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES, DIMS SPECTACLE LENSES PROVIDE CLEAR VISION AND MYOPIA DEFOCUS TO CORRECT VISION AND HELP SLOW THE PROGRESSION OF MYOPIA.

FINALLY, CHILDREN CAN CHOOSE TO WEAR ORTHOKERATOLOGY LENSES (OK LENSES).

It uses special rigid orthopedic contact lenses and tear tension to change the curvature and shape of the cornea.

Children who receive orthopedic vision correction only need to wear orthopedic lenses at night to sleep, but the advantage is that they do not need to wear glasses in the morning.

The only concern is that children unconsciously pinch their eyes during sleep and cause corneal damage or infection, so this method is only suitable for children over 8 years old who have good self-care ability.

Do you know the latest myopia prevention methods in Hong Kong children? Read More »

Enquire now