A Guide To Myopia Prevention, Treatment And Management

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Myopia is a condition of the eye in which a person has difficulty recognizing objects from a distance. Commonly known as nearsightedness, it is considered a major health issue and research suggests it will affect thousands of people in the coming years. The condition is prevalent in Asian countries, whereas in Europe, about 45% – 50% of people between the ages 25-29 are affected by this optical disorder. Despite the grim numbers, a couple of prevention techniques can help patients manage symptoms and commence their journey towards recovery. This blog post covers myopia control in more detail and it will help the readers learn more about proper treatment and management of the condition.

1. Prevention

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is abnormal in size, or the cornea is steeply curved. This reflects the light in front of the retina rather than on it, resulting in blurry vision. Majorly identified as a hereditary condition, this optical disorder is caused by some environmental factors also. According to many experts, myopia is considered a major problem in the 21^st century mainly because people don’t spend a considerable amount of their time outdoors. If it’s genetic, then there is little you can do to prevent it; however, exposure to daylight for approximately 2 hours a day can either slow it down or completely prevent it among children. Remember, myopia starts early on; therefore, children should be subjected to measures mentioned above to slow down or stop myopia onset.

2. Treatment

Once the onset of myopia is complete, the condition cannot be reversed, but it can be treated. The objective of any treatment is to improve the vision and stop it from getting worse. There are several ways to do it:

1. Corrective Lenses: This is a common treatment of myopia; corrective lenses are designed to reflect the light directly on the retina. Corrective lenses can either be used in eyeglasses or as contact lenses.
2. Laser Surgery: Also known as refractive surgery, a laser is used to treat the condition. A thin flap is placed over the cornea, and then a laser is passed at a specific angle to re-shape the cornea. The procedure eliminates the use of corrective lenses and is one of the only treatments that significantly reduces myopia.

3. Management

This optical disease is incurable, but it can be managed by slowing the progression after its onset. If left untreated, this condition can cause glaucoma, retinal tears, and cataracts which are far worse than myopia. There are a couple of ways it can be managed:

1. Atropine: These drops are commonly used for dilating the pupils before and after eye surgery but their controlled doses are also known to slow down the condition.
2. Daylight: The UV light of the Sun is known to change the sclera and cornea on a molecular level. This is why doctors recommend that children spend time in the daylight every day.
3. Orthokeratology: The patient wears rigid contact lenses throughout the day, which re-size the eyeball. The lenses are used less frequently once the eyeball is re-sized but can’t completely be discontinued.

Myopia is a real problem in today’s world, and the younger generation is getting affected by it. Follow the above guide to prevent or slow down myopia because prevention is better than cure.