Causes of myopia

Cover Image_Causes of Childhood Myopia_Symptoms of Myopia

Causes and Symptoms of Childhood Myopia

Myopia /

Causes of Myopia in Children

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

Myopia Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long. In a relaxed state of distant vision, parallel light rays passing through the eye's refractive system focus in front of the retina. This causes distant objects to appear blurry, while near objects appear clearer.

Myopia can be hereditary, but environmental factors are also major contributors to its development, such as:

  • Reading at too close a distance for extended periods
  • Electronic devices emit excessive brightness, and the environment is too dark.
  • Frequently looking at electronic screens
  • Lack of exposure to sunlight and outdoor activity time
Causes of Childhood Myopia

Symptoms of Myopia in Children

How can you tell if your child has myopia?
Parents should regularly observe whether their child exhibits the following behaviors:

  • Complaining of a headache
  • Reporting blurred vision (or double vision)
  • Frequent blinking and rubbing of the eyes
  • Eyes are often bloodshot.
  • When focusing on electronic screens or reading books, you need to squint or tilt your head to see clearly.
  • When looking at electronic screens or reading books, cover one of your eyes. 
  • When reading, I often overlook certain words.

If parents notice their child frequently exhibiting the above behaviors, there is a high likelihood they have developed myopia. It is recommended that parents promptly take their child for an eye examination and seek professional advice from an ophthalmologist.

及早控制兒童近視
可預防加深近視的風險

Children's Myopia: Don't Ignore It!

Children who frequently view electronic screens have a significantly increased risk of developing myopia. If parents notice their child has myopia, it is recommended to consult a professional ophthalmologist and pursue appropriate vision correction treatment. Currently, there is a " Children's AI Myopia Control Program ." This program can predict changes in a child's myopia over the next three years, enabling the provision of personalized myopia correction treatment plans for children.

Without corrective treatment, myopia is highly likely to worsen. The elongation of the eyeball will cause the retina to thin progressively, simultaneously increasing the risk of developing various eye diseases, such as retinal detachment and macular degeneration , and glaucoma and cataracts , among others. These complications can impair vision, and in severe cases, lead to blindness or loss of sight. Therefore, it is recommended to control myopia in children as early as possible and ensure timely correction!

Early eye examinations for children can effectively prevent or delay the progression of myopia, reducing the likelihood and risks of developing high myopia in the future.

Parents, please remind your children to start protecting their eyes from an early age by improving their daily habits!

More information

Causes and Symptoms of Childhood Myopia Read More »

Five Key Points for Infant Eye Care and Causes of Myopia (Plus Home Vision Tests You Can Try in Hong Kong)

Five Key Points for Infant Eye Care and Causes of Myopia (Plus Home Vision Tests You Can Try in Hong Kong)

Myopia /

Table Of Contents
  1. Five Key Methods for Eye Protection
  2. Vision screening can be done at home in Hong Kong
  3. Causes of Myopia

As parents, we naturally worry about our children's eye health.

Five Key Methods for Eye Protection

Statistics show that newborns have approximately 250 degrees of hyperopia, and they can only perceive black-and-white images before reaching six months of age.

Therefore, it is best to place high-contrast black-and-white patterns to help stimulate your baby's visual development.

Additionally, soft natural light is crucial for supporting the visual development of infants and young children.

It is recommended to keep curtains open during the day to expose your baby to light stimulation, but remember to avoid direct exposure of bright light to the infant's eyes.

Since infants under one year old are still developing their vision and their pupils do not constrict quickly, overly bright light can harm their eyes. Therefore, please turn off the flash when taking photos.

After infants reach six months of age, parents can hold brightly colored patterns about 12 inches (30 cm) in front of the child's eyes and gently wave them back and forth.

This helps develop eye coordination and train focusing ability in young children.

Vision screening can be done at home in Hong Kong

If you suspect your baby has poor vision, you may want to try some simple self-tests at home.

First, an infant's gaze typically follows light sources. Additionally, parents can cover one of the infant's eyes with a clean gauze cloth and observe whether the infant's waking behavior exhibits any abnormalities.

If an infant uses their weaker eye to see objects and experiences blurred vision that differs from their usual state, they may become anxious and restless, crying incessantly. In such cases, further examination should be conducted promptly.

Causes of Myopia

Additionally, any form of close-up work can induce myopia.

Prolonged close-up focusing work places increased strain on the ciliary muscles, causing the eyeball to elongate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines advising against screen time for children under two years of age. For children aged two and older, screen time should ideally not exceed two hours per day, though adjustments should be made based on the child's learning needs.

嬰兒「護眼方法」的五個關鍵及引發「近視原因」 (另加視力檢查香港家中可試) Read More »