Myopia (Short-Sightedness)

What is Myopia?

Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, is a common eye condition in which close objects can be seen clearly but distant objects appear blurred.

Myopia occurs when the eye is too long from front to back, or when the cornea or lens focuses light in front of the retina rather than directly on it.

Myopia can begin in childhood and often becomes stronger as a child grows. It can also continue to change during the teenage and young adult years.

In Singapore, myopia is particularly common among children and young adults. For this reason, managing myopia is about much more than simply prescribing stronger glasses.

30% of Primary 1 kids are myopic and 80% by age 18. Looking at these numbers, the chance of myopia is extremely likely. So I started to take action to prevent myopia in my son Mark since he was 4.

What Are the Symptoms of Myopia?

The most common symptom is blurred distance vision.

A child or adult with myopia may:

• Have difficulty seeing the whiteboard at school

• Squint to see distant objects

• Sit closer to the television

• Hold books or screens unusually close

• Have difficulty recognising faces from a distance

• Complain that road signs or subtitles are blurry

• Experience headaches or visual fatigue

• Need increasingly stronger glasses

Children may not realise that their vision is blurred because they assume everyone sees the same way.

This is why regular eye examinations are particularly important for children.

Why Does Myopia Develop?

Myopia is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental and visual factors.

Children with one or both parents who are myopic have a higher risk of developing myopia.

Lifestyle plays a huge role and that is the reason I spend a lot of time understanding your child’s habits and I work with you to create good screen habits. Spending a lot of time on prolonged near work and having insufficient time outdoors are associated with an increased risk of myopia development and progression.

Myopia in Children

Childhood myopia deserves particular attention because the eye can continue to elongate as a child grows.

When myopia increases, the prescription becomes more negative and the child needs stronger glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.

But the concern is not only the strength of the glasses.

Higher levels of myopia are associated with a greater lifetime risk of eye problems such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract and myopic retinal changes.

This is why modern myopia management aims to do more than correct blurred vision. The goal is to slow the progression of myopia and reduce excessive eye growth where possible.

What Is Myopia Control?

Myopia control, also called myopia management, refers to treatments and strategies designed to slow the progression of myopia in children and teenagers.

It is different from simply giving a child stronger glasses.