Myopia is a prevalent visual disorder usually diagnosed before people turn 20. It mainly affects distant vision—objects that are far from you will appear blurry while those that are near will be clear. Recently, the cases of myopia have been increasing, and experts expect that more people will have myopia as the years go on. 

According to the American Optometric Association, over 40 percent of Americans have myopia. It is more prevalent in school-going children, where about 25 percent have myopia. 

According to some eye experts, if a child spends a lot of time on near-vision activities, they risk developing myopia.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia is one of the three primary refractive errors that affect people. It is more commonly known as nearsightedness. People with myopia find it challenging to read signs when they are far from them. They usually need to be significantly close to make out what is written.

Myopia is easily corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or surgery. However, you cannot get laser eye surgery for myopia or any other refractive error until you are 18.

Progression of Myopia

Myopia progresses or increases in childhood and usually stabilizes when a child gets to 20 years. When a child is diagnosed with myopia, the effect is not as significant as that of an adult. 

While a child's eyes are still developing, eye doctors can use some treatment protocols to slow down myopia's progression. One of these strategies is atropine drops. With atrophone drops, myopia progresses much slower, and your child will usually not need eyewear during the day to see well.

What Causes Myopia?

Eye doctors consider myopia a hereditary condition passed on from parent to child. The exact cause of myopia is unknown, but experts believe it is a mix of environmental and genetic factors. You may inherit the condition, and your environment makes it easier for it to develop.

What Are the Symptoms of Myopia?

If you have myopia, you may notice the following symptoms.

• Distant objects look blurry, while close-up objects are clear

• Eyestrain

• Headaches

• Eye fatigue when playing sports, driving, or using distant vision

• Squinting

Forms of Myopia

Most forms of myopia are mild and can be corrected using eyeglasses or contact lenses. But some more severe and rare cases of myopia may occur. Here are two rare and severe cases of myopia:

• High Myopia

It is a rare inherited form of myopia that occurs when a child's eyeballs elongate too much. It causes the cornea to become steep. High myopia has a high refractive error above -6 and will often progress to higher levels.

High myopia predisposes children to more severe eye conditions when they are older. A child with high myopia needs treatment and management of the disease since it can lead to blindness. 

• Degenerative Myopia

Degenerative myopia is rare and starts in early childhood. It is severe because it damages the retina, leading to blindness.

For more information on the factors that increase myopia, call Clarity Vision at (919) 367-2832 to reach our office in Apex, North Carolina.