Myopia

What is Short-sightedness (Myopia)?

Under normal conditions, when we look at the very far objects, light rays will pass through the cornea and lens of the eyeball, and then accurately fall on the retina at the back of the eyeball. A clear image will be produced.

Myopia (short-sightedness) occurs when the longitudinal length of the eyeball is overly long, or the refractive powers of the cornea or the lens are too strong. The resulting image falls in front of the retina, and the image such produced is blurry.

Why Myopia Progresses?

According to various researches, childhood myopia is particularly common among Chinese and Asian children. It is frequent to see young kids having myopia since their primary school years. As the body grows, the degree of myopia increases at the same time. Hereditary factors and excessive near-work (like reading, TV-games, etc.) are believed to be important factors involved.

Why Retardation of Myopia Progression is Important?

People with higher degree of myopia require thicker spectacle lenses. This not only negatively affects the outlook, but also causes lots of inconvenience to daily life.

More importantly, as a result of stretching tension, the higher the degree of myopia, the thinner or weaker the retina will be. This will much increase the risk of retinal holes or breaks, retinal detachments or macula diseases.

In addition, many eye diseases including cataracts and glaucoma are also more common among people with myopia. All these contribute to the higher rates of visual loss or blindness in these people.

How Can We Treat or Control Myopia Progression?

Our Centre is staffed with a team of eye-care professionals including pediatric ophthalmologists and optometrists. Children will have an all-round and thorough eye examination, including full optometric examination, refraction with or without cycloplegia by dilating eyedrops, orthoptic tests and ocular health check. Attention are also paid to the child’s study environment and daily activities. Individualized treatment and follow up plans will be made.

Thanks to ever-advancing technology and scientific researches, promising methods to control myopia progression are now available to children in need. These include:

- Atropine Eyedrops

- Ortho-keratology (Corneal re-shaping)

- Myopia-control spectacle glasses (such as DIMS lenses)

In children with myopia, proper understanding the cause, regular check, and appropriate treatment can prevent progression of the myopia and reduce the risk of various eye diseases.