Childhood Myopia Causes & Care | GOOD VISION Eyecare

Have you ever noticed? Some children like to squint when looking at things in the distance, blink frequently, or move closer to screens than usual. These could be early signs of "Myopia" (nearsightedness).

Meanwhile, standard nearsighted lenses have light refraction at the edges that falls behind the retina in children. Although these lenses help children see clearly, they can actually cause myopia to increase rapidly.

Today, GOOD VISION will help you understand the causes of childhood myopia to better care for your child's eyes.

Causes of Childhood Myopia
"Myopia" is set to become a global public health issue in the future, especially severe myopia which increases the risk of other eye diseases, such as retinal detachment.⁽¹⁾There are two primary causes

1. Genetic Factors
One of the key factors causing childhood myopia is an eyeball that is longer than normal, which is often a hereditary trait passed down from parents.

2. Visual Habits and Lifestyle
With changing social environments, children today spend more time indoors and prolonged periods staring at screens at a close distance. This has led to an increase in myopia among younger children. It is predicted that by 2050, over 49.8% of the world's population will be myopic.⁽²⁾

Solutions for Childhood Myopia The easiest and safest solution is wearing eyeglasses.

How standard lenses work : Light at the center of the lens is refracted to fall exactly on the retina, providing clear vision. However, light at the edges of the lens refracts beyond the retina (Peripheral Defocus). The child's eye responds by elongating the eyeball to catch that light, which causes the myopia to increase. In short, while standard lenses help them see clearly, they can accelerate the progression of myopia.

New Lens Technology : Today, there is new technology designed to correct vision for clarity while significantly slowing the progression of myopia in children aged 8-13.

The principle is to reduce the amount of light falling behind the retina at the edges, which is the cause of eyeball elongation. When the eyeball elongates more slowly, the progression of myopia is significantly delayed.

Signs for Parents to Watch For Children with myopia often exhibit the following behaviors :

• Squinting when looking at distant objects.
• Blinking more than usual.
• Moving closer to the TV or holding things very close to their face.
• A sudden drop in school performance.
• If you observe these symptoms, you should take your child for a professional eye examination.

GOOD VISION Eyecare, a Progressive Lens Center, provides eye examination services by Optometrists who are available during all operating hours at both branches. This ensures that every customer receives glasses that truly meet their needs and effectively solve their vision problems.

Article Compiled by Yo Chularat, O.D. (Doctor of Optometry)
Optometrist at GOOD VISION Eyecare

Lamphun Branch
Location: Charoen Rat Soi 13 (before the Pratu Pa intersection)
Tel: 090-3282445
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Location: C-Park Project, on the main road opposite Prince Royal's College
Tel: 092-4959444