Myopia in children: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by an eye doctor - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

If the doctor says that your child is nearsighted, it means that the child's ability to see distant objects is limited. A child's vision may decline more sharply during childhood and adolescence, but it will improve if the child is given the right and correct eyeglasses.

1. Causes of myopia in children

If the child is nearsighted , it means that the child's eyeball is longer than normal from front to back. The light rays that make up the image are focused in front of the retina. Therefore, objects at a distance will be blurred and indistinct.
Multifocal contact lenses and eye drops such as atropine, pirenzepine gel or cyclopentolate can help slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Using eye drops can cause blurred vision, make the eyes sensitive to light, and can cause itching and discomfort. Combining glasses and special eye drops has been shown to be effective in supporting nearsightedness in children.

2. Diagnosis of myopia in children

Most children do not complain about their vision condition. When your child tells you that it is difficult for him to see things from a distance, and he often has a habit of getting close to the object he wants to see so that he can see it clearly. If you observe your child's behavior in this direction, take him to an ophthalmologist to have his eyes checked.
Children should have their vision checked at 6 months, 3 years old and before entering first grade. This is especially important if the child has a family history of nearsightedness or other eye conditions.

3. Treatment of myopia in children

If the child is nearsighted, let him wear eyeglasses and he can be replaced with other glasses when he is more mature. Always remind children how to adjust their vision and pay attention to eye care.
Studies show that combining bifocals with eye drops containing atropine relaxes the eyes from the inside. This can be a good promise for children's eyesight.

4. Can myopia be prevented?

If your child is not born with myopia, you can completely prevent it. There are steps you can take to slow the progression of myopia in your child. First, make sure your child gets an early eye exam, especially if he or she has a family history of nearsightedness or other eye problems.
Note, if your child has trouble with images that are more than a few feet away (1 foot is approximately 30.48 cm) in their field of vision, it may be time to have their eyes checked. It is important for children to have a pair of glasses that are precisely designed for their vision so as not to increase their nearsightedness.
Studies also show that outdoor activities have the effect of preventing the development of myopia. So encourage your kids to spend time outdoors and cut down on the time they spend in front of the computer and TV screens.
Myopia in children is increasing day by day. There are many causes of myopia such as: congenital myopia, acquired myopia (due to intensity of study, work, exposure to electronic devices ...) To prevent myopia in children, parents and teachers need to pay attention to remind students to pay attention to the following: Sitting posture to study with enough light, time In addition, parents need to feed their children foods that contain a lot of vitamin A, and at the same time pay attention to and early detect myopia in children by Regular eye health checkup.
Eye specialist at Vinmec has comprehensive vision and eye health care functions for children, adults and the elderly including: refractive error check, laser treatment and surgery. In addition, the department also has the task of coordinating with other clinical departments in the treatment of pathological complications and eye injuries caused by accidents.
In particular, the team of Ophthalmologists at Vinmec are experienced doctors who have performed many types of surgery from routine to difficult surgeries, especially techniques that require aesthetics. With enthusiasm and love for the profession, the team of doctors working at Vinmec always gives customers the best services with the highest service quality.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Article reference source: webmd.com