How the Pandemic Has Increased Childhood Myopia and What Parents Can Do About It

One in every three kids in the U.S., or around 20 million children, suffer from nearsightedness, clinically referred to as ‘myopia’. Myopia usually starts in school-aged children and is caused by accelerated eye growth. This not only impacts a child’s ability to see clearly and perform their best but also increases the risk of a child having serious eye diseases when they get older.

What is Myopia?

High Myopia:

High myopia is near-sightedness of -6.00 diopters or greater or an axial length >26.5mm. It usually starts in early childhood. High myopia might lead to severe health conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, or retinal detachment. It is thus defined as a severe form of myopia.

Degenerative Myopia:

As the name suggests this is a condition in which myopia progresses rapidly and results in degenerative changes affecting the retina. It is also known as pathological or malignant myopia and is usually inherited from parents. Apart from making it difficult to see, a person can also suffer from the chance of developing abnormal blood vessels in the eye. It can also lead to a detached retina and glaucoma.

Progressive Myopia

This type of myopia progresses with age and continues to get worse over the years. There is the chance of developing into high myopia. However, with proper treatment, it can be halted.

The Symptoms:

The main symptoms are regular headaches, strain in the eyes, squinting, and eye fatigue. You can also understand if your child has myopia if he is finding it difficult to see far objects or the board in school.

Causes:

While the main cause could be hereditary as you are more likely to get myopia if one of your parents has it too, environmental factors can be a cause too. Though researchers have not been able to pinpoint all the causes, some researchers think that reading a book or digital screen too close to your eyes for long periods can lead to an increased risk of myopia in children.

Treatment:

1. Eyeglasses and corrective lenses
2. A nonsurgical treatment called orthokeratology can help to treat myopia. This treatment reshape the cornea.
3. Lasik surgery
4. Photorefractive Keratectomy
5. Intraocular lens implant
6. Vision Therapy

The Effect of Pandemic on Childhood Myopia 

Here at Pacific Rims Optometry, we are proactively tackling this childhood myopia epidemic. Our practice has successfully treated a large number of children with myopia. And the positive impact we have on these children’s lives is so gratifying to see. Unfortunately, I am now seeing record numbers of children in my clinic coming in with poor vision due to myopia. With many students having returned to in-person school this spring, we have treated more than triple the number of myopic kids than we typically see.

What Recent Study Says

A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that over 120,000 children in China are near-sighted. This statistic has increased up to three times in children aged 6 to 8 in 2020 compared to the previous five years. While eye doctors can prescribe glasses or contact lenses for kids with myopia, the treatments are only a temporary fix. They do not treat the underlying condition so a child’s vision usually continues to deteriorate as their myopia worsens.

The number of myopic young patients has been growing at an alarming rate for years. And we are just beginning to see the added effects of the pandemic on the eyes. One recent case was a 10-year-old child whose prescription had jumped from a -4.00 to -8.00 in only 18 months. In addition to myopia causing blurry distance vision, it puts the child at much greater risk for serious eye diseases such as glaucoma and retinal disease. Fortunately, we can now treat myopia to slow or in many cases stop their vision from getting worse. Also, we can reduce these long-term eye health risks. These treatments are non-invasive and, like most treatments in health care, are most effective if we start treatment early.

Following a year of lockdown, it’s more imperative than ever that parents proactively have their children’s eyes checked for myopia before it has the chance of worsening.

Parents can book a free myopia consultation at one of the four Bay Area Treehouse Eyes providers or across the country by visiting  treehouseeyes.com.

About Treehouse Eyes

The mission of Treehouse Eyes is to give children a better vision for life. As the first and only health care business dedicated exclusively to treating myopic children, Treehouse Eyes’ doctors have helped thousands of children have better vision and reduce their risks of serious eye diseases associated with myopia. Treehouse Eyes providers have the latest equipment and clinical training to diagnose myopia. And recommend a customized treatment plan for each child to get the best results. Treehouse Eyes now has 40 locations in 17 states across the country, making Treehouse Eyes the largest myopia management provider in the country.

Disclaimer: This is a promotional post. Apart from the information on Myopia, types, causes, and treatment, the rest of the content is that of the writer.