Causes of myopia

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Causes and symptoms of myopia in children

Myopia /

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
Causes of myopia in children

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!

More information

Causes and symptoms of myopia in children Read More »

The five key「eye care methods」 for infants and the「causes of myopia」 (additional vision examination can be tried at home in Hong Kong)

The five key「eye care methods」 for infants and the「causes of myopia」 (additional vision examination can be tried at home in Hong Kong)

Myopia /

Directory
  1. Five keys to「eye cere methods」
  2. Vision test can be tested at home in Hong Kong
  3. Causes of myopia

As a parent, of course we are concerned about the eye health of our children.

Five keys to「eye cere methods」

According to statistics, babies are born with hyperopia, approximately +2.50 diopters (D), and they can only see black and white images before the age of six months.

Therefore, it is advisable to provide high-contrast black and white patterns to stimulate the visual development of the baby.

Furthermore, gentle natural light is key to aiding the development of visual acuity in infants and young children.

It is recommended to keep the curtains open during the day to allow the baby to receive light stimulation. However, remember to avoid direct exposure of bright light into the baby's eyes.

Because the vision of children under one year old is still developing and their pupils do not contract quickly, bright light can be harmful to their eyes. Therefore, please make sure to turn off the flash when taking photos.

Parents can hold colorful patterns approximately 30 centimeters away from the child's eyes and move them gently after they are six months old.

This can help develop the coordination of the child's eye movements and train their focusing abilities.

Vision test can be tested at home in Hong Kong

If you suspect that your baby has poor eyesight, you may do some simple self-tests at home.

Firstly, it is common for a baby's gaze to follow the direction of light. Additionally, parents can use a clean cloth to cover one of the baby's eyes and observe if there are any abnormal activity or performance while the baby is awake.

If a baby looks at things with the eye that has poorer vision and experiences unusual blurriness compared to their usual condition, they may become anxious, restless, and cry incessantly. In such cases, it is advisable to seek further examination.

Causes of myopia

Additionally, any form of near-point work can induce myopia.

Prolonged near-point focusing work on the eyes increases the strain on the ciliary muscles and can lead to elongation of the eyeball.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines recommending that children under the age of two should not have any exposure to electronic devices. As for children aged 2 and above, it is advised that their screen time should be limited to no more than 2 hours, while also being adjusted according to their learning needs.

The five keys to eye care for babies and the causes of myopia (plus eye examination, which can be tried at home in Hong Kong). Read More »

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