Prevalence of Myopia or need to wear glasses is increasing dangerously all over the world. It is becoming an epidemic in certain parts of the world. The prevalence is as high as 80% above the age of 35 in few South-East Asian countries.
It was said that by the year 2050, nearly half of the world’s population will have myopia (short‐sightedness) and nearly one‐tenth of the world’s population will have high myopia (myopia worse than −5.00D). Myopia is already a major public health concern in many countries in East and South East Asia, where the prevalence of myopia has rapidly increased over the past few decades.
Here are three things that you can do, which will positively reduce the chances of progression of myopia:
1. The first thing is to reduce the amount of work that requires us to focus or look near or closely at an object, for example, working on a computer or reading documents or books. So, all parents should be aware of the amount of time their children are spending on near gadgets (iPad, phones etc.) There is no documented fixed time to spend on an iPad or phone. However, here are a few guidelines which parents should keep in mind. Below 2 years of age, there should be zero screen time. Between 2-4 years of age the screen time should be a maximum of an hour. For children above 4 years of age, screen time should be around 2 hours a day. For older kids, screen time can be more.
2. The second thing is to do at least one hour of outdoor activity every day. When children go outdoors, they tend to look at things and objects that are far away, which relaxes their eyes and gives them a break from looking or focusing at the computers, tabs and mobiles. When this focusing or accommodation is relaxed, the chances of myopia progression reduce. There is another theory on why this works. Outdoor light stimulates the production of factors in the retina including retinal dopamine, which helps to slow eye growth. If the eyeball does not grow, the minus number does not increase.
3. Finally, there is one drug that can be used which is proven to reduce the progression of myopia. This drug is diluted atropine (with a very low concentration). Children are expected to use these eye drops once a day in both eyes. These eye drops are prescribed when the doctor documents myopia progression. So, when myopia is increasing, only then the doctors advise the atropine eye drops. It is important to understand that this drug does not reduce the already present number. It only halts or slows down the progression of myopia.
Here are other options which may help reduce the progression of myopia. Though these tips are not as effective as the three tips mentioned above, these too have the potential to put a halt on the myopia progression:
1) Wear progressive glasses. Even though the child is young, make him/ her wear progressive glasses. Some experts suggest that if progressive glasses are worn wherein the distance number is different from reading number, then the chances of myopia progression reduce.
2) Older children can also wear contact lenses/ One can also wear progressive or multifocal contact lenses with a specific design.
3) Another suggested way is to remove glasses while reading, again this is one way of relaxing the accommodation or the focusing of the eye and this may help in reducing myopia progression.
Please consult your pediatric ophthalmologist to understand these things in detail and choose the right option.
(Dr Deepak Garg is a Cataract and Squint specialist and Founder of Eye Solutions, Mumbai)
