Myopia: What does Myopia mean for Parents?

What is the most common cause of impaired vision in people younger than 40? The answer is Myopia, a word that is commonly used but what does Myopia mean to patients and what should they expect from treatment? Dr David Sweeney, from Vision Source Insight Eyecare in Sandy Springs, GA explains.

The Growing Concern.

Myopia is a growing concern. 42% of the U.S. population is nearsighted today, an increase from 25% a few decades ago. It is predicted nearly half of the global population will be myopic by 2050. Given that so much of a child’s academic performance is based on visual learning it is important to detect and treat this condition early.  Let’s look into some of the easy-to-read signs and possible causes of this condition.

What does Myopia mean?

Nearsightedness occurs when you can see objects near to you clearly, but objects farther away are blurry. Perhaps you cannot clearly see objects at a distance, such as road signs or the characters on a movie screen. If you can’t make out the leaves on a tree or have difficulty seeing a tennis ball or baseball, you might have a case of myopia. Yet there’s a lot of people, even with myopia, who don’t know what it is. Myopia is caused when the eyeball grows too long, front to-back and the lens ends up focusing images in front of the retina (the layer of light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eyes) rather than on the retina. The result is that distant objects become unfocused.

Another common cause of myopia is a cornea or lens that is too curved for the length of the eyeball. In some cases, a person may have eyeballs that are both long and curvy.

Myopia in Children.

Researchers are not sure why the eyeball grows too long although a hereditary component is suspected. Several studies indicate that youngsters spending greater amounts of time spent reading, writing and working on computers, and less time outdoors, may also contribute. If you see your kids constantly holding a device too close or sitting very near the TV it may be time to suggest a break. It may also be a good time to schedule an eye exam. Childhood nearsightedness is on the rise but the good news is that it often stabilizes by early adulthood. In some cases, however, the condition will continue to progress with age.

Current Treatment.

For those with standard myopia, the prognosis is good. With early detection most cases of Myopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or LASIK. Full time wearing of glasses or contact lenses may not even be necessary. According to the Discovery Eye Foundation, 80% of learning is visual through 6th grade and once nearsightedness is addressed and corrected it should not compromise a kid’s academic performance. Because Myopia can progress it should not be ignored and if your child experiences eye strain and/or headaches in addition to squinting and getting too close to devices it might be wise to schedule a comprehensive eye exam.

Myopia Treatment in Sandy Springs, GA

Vision Source Insight Eyecare provides comprehensive eye care for all ages and our doctors are the Myopia Specialists serving Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Buckhead and Atlanta. Dr Rachel Sweeney and Dr David Sweeney have been treating Myopia patients since 2005 and have helped hundreds of patients achieve amazing results. Treatment begins with a comprehensive eye exam. Please call to schedule an Appointment today at Sandy Springs/Atlanta 404 250 1680 or send us an Online Consultation Request