The axial length of a ‘normal’ human eye is about 24 mm. An eyeball that is too long is short-sighted (myopic). If the eyeball is too long, light rays are not in focus on the retinal plane, but in front of it. As a result, things in the distance appear out of focus. One millimetre corresponds to a visual deficiency of around 3 dioptres. Short-sightedness (myopia) is on the rise worldwide.* By 2050, almost 50% of the world’s population will be affected by myopia. This is according to a forecast based on clinical studies by the Brien Holden Vision Institute in collaboration with the WHO.**
Myopia - short-sightedness
Progressive myopia
Progressive (high) myopia is when there is at least a 0.5-to-1-dioptre increase in the myopia each year. High myopia of around six dioptres or more also entails a greater risk of other eye diseases.*
Risks
The higher the myopia, the higher the risk of secondary diseases. It is therefore important that children and adolescents are examined by an ophthalmologist at an early stage, and that further care is initiated by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist, orthoptist, optometrist or master optician).***
Cause
Various factors, such as environmental or genetic influences, affect the development of short-sightedness. The eye grows during childhood. It has been scientifically shown that daylight restricts growth of the eyeball and prolonged close-up work promotes growth. Thus, the overabundance of consumer electronics and daily screen work are playing a major role. If there is pronounced growth of the eyeball, children become short-sighted. This short-sightedness can then no longer be reversed. High myopia of around five dioptres or more also entails a greater risk of secondary diseases that seriously threaten vision.**
We currently recognise the following causes of myopia:
- Genetics and heredity
- Excessive close-up activities
- Too little distance when reading
- Shortage of daylight
- Blurring at the edge of the retina***
Prevention
Of course, it is better to prevent children from becoming short-sighted in the first place. Parents should therefore encourage their children to spend two hours a day outdoors if possible. This measure reduces the risk of short-sightedness. In addition, time spent on close-up work, e.g. using smartphones, tablets and the like, should be limited.*
*https://www.augen.at/a-bis-z-der-augengesundheit/myopie.php
**Holden B.A., Fricke T.R., Wilson D.A., Jong M., Naidoo K.S., Sankaridurg P., Wong T.Y., Naduvilath T.J., Resniko, S. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 05/2016, vol. 123, no. 5, p. 1036-1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006, https://www.who.int/blindness/causes/MyopiaReportforWeb.pdf *** www.myopiacare.com
2 Mark A. Bullimore, Eric R. Ritchey, Sunil Shah, Nicolas Leveziel, Rupert R.A. Bourne, D. Ian Flitcroft, The Risks and Benefi ts of Myopia Control, Ophthalmology, 2021, ISSN 0161-6420, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.04.032.
Treating short-sightedness with MiYOSMART
Steps should be taken to address short-sightedness as early as possible, so as to prevent long-term vision problems.²
Today, short-sightedness is mostly corrected with conventional single-vision lenses, which provide clear and sharp vision. However, single-vision lenses do not help to slow the progression of short-sightedness.
For this reason, MiYOSMART spectacle lenses have been specially developed for short-sighted children, so that as they live their lives, they can actively join in without worries.
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