The ever-increasing trend of gadgets, limited life in the walls of home and office, lack of physical activity and increasing trend of junk foods are affecting not only our physical and mental health but also our eye health. According to the World Health Organization, cases of myopia are increasing rapidly all over the world. Today one billion and forty million people worldwide have myopia. By 2050 this figure will increase to five billion. About ten percent of these people will have myopia so severe that they are at high risk of blindness.
What is nearsightedness?? What is myopia??
Myopia is medically termed as myopia, in which there is trouble in seeing distant things clearly. In myopia, an increase in the size of the eyeball causes the image to be slightly forward instead of on the retina. Due to this, distant objects appear blurry and indistinct, but there is no problem in seeing nearby objects. It is estimated that 20-30 percent of India's population is suffering from myopia.
Myopia occurs when the pupil of the eye becomes too long or the curvature of the cornea (the outermost protective layer of the eye) is greatly increased. Due to this, the light that enters the eye is not focused properly, due to which the images are focused slightly ahead of the retina. This makes the vision blurry. When the problem of myopia increases, the risk of cataract and glaucoma increases.
Myopia can develop slowly or rapidly. This problem increases rapidly in children as their body and eyes are developing. Enlargement of the eyes can lead to severe stretching of the cornea and retina. However, children who have myopia tend to have stable vision by the time they are eighteen years old.
According to a study conducted by Delhi-based, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), 17 percent of children in the age group of 5-15 years in India suffer from nearsightedness.
due to nearsightedness
Nearsightedness is the leading cause of vision loss worldwide. Genetic factors, environmental conditions and lifestyle play an important role in this.
It runs in the family. If either of your mother or father has this problem then your risk for it increases. The risk is increased if both parents have myopia. Spending more time in front of screens (TV, computer, mobile). Not keeping the required distance from books or screens increases the risk of myopia. Some studies have found that spending less time in natural light increases the risk of myopia.
Recognize these symptoms
The most prominent symptom of myopia is not seeing distant things clearly, apart from this the following symptoms may appear
Eye strain and tiredness when looking at distant objects. Difficulty in driving, especially at night. Headache. Eyes drooping. Watery eyes.
In addition to these, the following symptoms may also appear in children; Inability to see properly in the classroom with a black board or white board. Constant rubbing of the eyes. Inability to focus on studies.
the treatment
Treatment aims to improve vision. There are both surgical and non-surgical treatments available for this.
non-surgical
Non-surgical treatment of myopia requires the use of negative number glasses or contact lenses. The higher the number, the more severe your myopia is.
goggles
This is a common and safe way to clear and sharpen vision. The eyeglass lenses used in these are of many types such as single vision, bi-focals, trifocals and progressive multifocals.
contact lenses
These lenses are placed directly on the eyes. They are made of a variety of materials and have different designs, including soft and hard, toric and multifocal designs.
refractive surgery
Myopia is called refractive error, so the surgery to correct it is called refractive surgery. Refractive surgery reduces dependence on glasses and contact lenses. In this, the eye surgeon uses a laser beam to reshape the cornea. This greatly improves myopia. Many people do not need glasses or contact lenses after surgery, while others may need them. Refractive surgery is not recommended until your lens number has stabilized.
LASIK and photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK) are the most common refractive surgeries. In both, the shape of the cornea is changed so that light is better focused on the retina.
prevention
It is not possible to prevent myopia, but there are several ways by which you can slow down its development. You can take the following steps to protect your eyes and vision.
Get your eyes checked at regular intervals. Get yourself treated if you have diabetes and high blood pressure, as these can affect your vision. Whenever you are at home to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays If you go out, go with goggles. Include colorful fruits and vegetables and fish in your diet chart. Take a break while studying and working on the computer. Read in good light. Do not smoke; Smoking also affects the health of your eyes. Do not keep children confined to the boundary wall. Let them play outside in the sun. Spend less time in front of the screen. Keep the right distance between the books and the eyes. Do not allow children to use the TV and mobile for more than two hours.
What you can do for increasing myopia (myopia)
The best thing you can do to help slow the progression of your child's myopia is to have annual eye exams so that your eye doctor can see how quickly his eyes are changing. Huh.
Often, children with nearsightedness don't complain about their vision, so even if they say their vision seems fine, get an annual test.
If your child's eyes are changing rapidly or regularly, ask your eye doctor about ortho-k contact lenses or other myopia control measures to slow the progression of myopia.
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