Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
HealthWeekly has teamed up with Rivoli EyeZone to highlight a series of eye-related illnesses, conditions and diseases and the best way to identify, treat and resolve them with expert advice. This week we concentrate on myopia, also know as short-sightedness.
What is Myopia?
• Myopia, also known as shortsightedness, is a very common condition where a person is able to see near things clearly but the distance objects/vision is blurred.
• Very commonly seen in youngsters/teenagers.
What does it mean to have Myopia?
• A person with short sight will be able to see things up close quite clearly, like when they’re reading. But for tasks that require distance vision, like driving or watching TV, their vision is blurred.
• Undiagnosed myope (person who has myopia) can also experience symptoms like headaches or eyestrain when trying to focus on things far away.
So technically how does it happen?
• Rays of light focus in front of the retina (the sensitive layer at the back of the eye for clear image) thus causing blurred vision.
• Either the size of the eye ball is larger than normal.
• Or the cornea and lens have higher curvature/power.
What are the main causes?
• Genetics.
• Excessive usage of digital devices.
• Exposure to less sunlight
• Studies suggest children should at least play for 45 minutes outdoors to reduce chances of developing myopia.
Things you need to know:
• Today 28 per cent of the world’s population has myopia, by 2050, 50 per cent of the world’s population will be myopic.
• Severe myopia can lead to vision threatening conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal tears or retinal detachment.
• Studies show the 10 per cent who develop severe myopia stands the real risk of blindness.
How do you know if you are A Myope?
• Your distance vision starts to get blurred.
• You start to develop headaches or eyestrain when trying to focus on things far away.
• Get your eyes tested regularly.
How to slow it down?
• In Adults:
1. Wearing correct prescription (eyeglasses and contact lenses).
2. Follow the 20-20-20 rule, which means every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds and remember to blink.
3. Option of refractive surgery do exist.
• In youngsters/teenagers
1. Wearing correct prescription (eyeglasses).
2. By making changes in lifestyle, includes balance of outdoor activities and indoor work.
3. Use of specific types of progressive lenses.
4. Use of specialty contact lenses in kids, which one wears at night and reshapes the cornea (temporary) so that during the day, glasses are not required. Technique is known as Orthokeratology.
Can Myopia SOMEHOW be cured?
• There is no cure, but it can be easily corrected.
• Retarding the onset/progression is being achieved through various methods for children in specific.
Rivoli EyeZone has stores at Oasis Mall, Juffair and Seef Mall Muharraq – “We care for your eyes - ask our optometrist about myopia.”
