Myopia In Children - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Myopia In Children

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Causes, symptoms and treatment of myopia in children

Myopia in children is a condition that occurs in childhood and is characterized by the fact that the image of objects is focused directly in front of the retina of the eye, and not on it, as it should be normal. In this case, the child can clearly see objects located near, and objects that are at a distance from him are blurred.

Statistics indicate that in recent years cases of myopia (a synonym for myopia) have become more frequent in childhood. Most often, it develops between the ages of 9 and 12. This age accounts for up to 75% of all cases of myopia among children. At the age of 15, the number of cases decreases and equates to 25%.

Myopia in children can be either stationary, that is, vision deteriorates to a certain extent and no longer falls, or progressive. The latter type is extremely dangerous, as vision gradually deteriorates, sometimes at a high rate, up to several diopters per year.

Content:

• Myopia symptoms in children
• The reasons for the development of myopia in children
• False myopia in children
• Myopia treatment in children
• Prevention of myopia in children

Myopia symptoms in children

In order to determine the presence of myopia in a child, it is important to regularly bring him for examination to an ophthalmologist. Children are not always able to understand and express in words that something is wrong with his vision. Therefore, parents need to be extremely careful and be able to recognize the first symptoms of the disease in a child.

Depending on his age, the following should alert:

• If at the age of three months the baby is not able to fix his gaze on a bright object or toy. However, only an ophthalmologist will be able to establish myopia at such an early stage of the baby's development, having performed an examination.
• The presence of strabismus, which often accompanies childhood myopia. Parents can notice this condition on their own by 6 months.
• At an older age, by about a year, the child begins to squint, trying to examine objects located in the distance. In addition, you can notice increased blinking, a habit of wrinkling your forehead, bringing toys close to your eyes.
• At school age, a child may already report a problem regarding the fact that it is difficult for him to consider objects at a certain distance from him. In addition, a symptom such as increased eye fatigue is added. During reading and writing, the student begins to tilt his head to the side.
• At any age, a child may experience headaches, blurred vision, discomfort in the eyes, and a feeling of weakness.
• If myopia is strongly developed, then the eyes will be slightly pushed forward.

The reasons for the development of myopia in children

In childhood, myopia can be both congenital and acquired, as well as inherited.

Among the reasons for the appearance of these types of myopia, the following can be distinguished:

• A disease that is inherited from parents to children. This factor is the most powerful impetus for the development of myopia, especially if both parents suffer from it.
• Increased elasticity and weakness of the sclera can be a congenital cause of myopia.
• Premature babies often suffer from myopia.
• Congenital pathologies such as glaucoma, Down's syndrome, lens and corneal malformations. All this leads to the onset and development of myopia during the first year of a child's life.
• The increased load on the child's visual apparatus during his preparation for school and during his studies in an educational institution leads to the formation of acquired myopia.
• Factors such as prolonged TV viewing, computer games, and lack of vision hygiene cannot be ruled out.
• Early learning to write and read has a negative effect on the visual apparatus.

• Lack of vitamins and important trace elements in food leads to the fact that the eyes do not receive enough nutrients for their normal functioning and development.
• Frequent infectious diseases, and their complications in the form of tonsillitis, sinusitis, overgrown adenoids can lead to the formation of myopia. In addition, such "childhood diseases" as: scarlet fever, measles, diphtheria have an impact on vision.
• Violation of posture and development of the musculoskeletal system as a whole - scoliosis, flat feet.
• It is impossible to exclude eye injuries received both during childbirth and in childhood.
• Vascular pathology.
• Rapid growth and hormonal changes in the body in childhood often become the reasons for the formation of myopia.

Parents with similar problems should be especially attentive to their child. Such children more often than others should visit an ophthalmologist and, when the first signs of myopia appear, receive adequate and timely treatment.

False myopia in children

Often a child develops a condition such as false myopia. This is due to the fact that they have a spasm of the accommodative muscle due to prolonged eye strain. This happens with prolonged writing and reading, with non-observance of vision hygiene, with a violation of lighting during classes.

At the same time, the muscle is not able to relax in time, and when the vision is transferred to an object located in the distance, its image is seen as indistinct. This condition is also called childhood pseudomyopia.

The danger of false myopia is that it can develop into true. Therefore, if you find the slightest vision problems in a child, you must take him to an appointment with an ophthalmologist. False myopia in childhood is treated both with medication and with the help of corrective agents. It is important to reduce both physical and visual stress, to perform exercises recommended by the doctor.

Myopia treatment in children

In order to draw up an adequate treatment regimen for children with myopia, it is necessary to determine the degree of its development. She, like adults, is found in three types: high, medium and low. If the child does not suffer from complications of the disease, and its progression does not exceed 0.5 diopters per year, then it is possible to take a wait and see attitude.

In all other cases, treatment is indicated:

• First, it is optical correction. To implement this method, glasses are selected for the child. If he is in high school, it is possible to use contact lenses as a vision correction. If myopia has not passed to a high degree, then glasses are needed that correct vision only when looking into the distance. If myopia exceeds 6 diopters, then glasses will need to be worn without removing. The same applies to progressive myopia.

• Secondly, it is drug treatment. Doctors prescribe a complex course of medicines, which include vitamin complexes.

  They can also prescribe eye drops that improve their nutrition, drugs designed to dilate blood vessels. You should not deviate from the scheme prescribed by the ophthalmologist, otherwise it will lead to the progression of the disease.

• Thirdly, these are physiotherapy methods for treating childhood myopia. This includes laser therapy, vacuum massage, training of the accommodative muscle on special devices, electrophoresis, electrical stimulation and other methods of influencing the visual apparatus. Perhaps sanatorium-and-spa treatment in children's health camps and dispensaries.
• Fourth, it is a surgical procedure. The operation is prescribed when the child has a high degree of development of the disease or it tends to progress. Children can be shown such surgical treatment as scleroplasty, which boils down to strengthening the sclera. As for the popular laser correction method, it cannot be carried out until the child reaches the age of majority.

On the subject: Restoration of vision in children: 4 effective exercises / Products that restore visual acuity

Prevention of myopia in children

According to ophthalmologists, in childhood it is much easier to prevent the development of myopia than to correct it.

By following simple recommendations, you can preserve the child's vision:

• In order to prevent the development of myopia, it is important to prevent excessive stress on the organs of vision. First of all, this concerns compliance with the distance from the eyes to the notebook, computer monitor and other objects that require effort from the eyes. When a child is engaged in visual work, it is important that the minimum distance to the object is 30 cm. This is due to the fact that when reading, the axes of the eyes converge and stop at the printed text. The closer it is, the more effort it takes for the child's eyes to focus. Failure to comply with the minimum distance leads to the fact that there is a spasm of the accommodative muscles and the development of false or temporary myopia, which threatens to develop into a true one.
• The eyes need regular rest. Any prolonged eye strain threatens the development of myopia. The muscles of children's eyes are constantly in good shape, the lens is overstrained, and the pupil does not expand. In addition, the child blinks less when working, which leads to dryness of the cornea, discomfort in the eyes, irritation and burning. All this can provoke the development of the disease. Therefore, it is so important not to allow the child to practice for more than 40 minutes. And for younger students, daily watching TV or working at a computer should not exceed one and a half hours a day.
• The child should not be allowed to read books in any form of transport, as well as in a lying position. The formation of such a habit, especially in childhood, is bound to negatively affect the child's vision. With constant shaking, the accommodative apparatus will have to constantly adjust to changing conditions, constantly be in tension. Such visual loads are extremely dangerous for the developing apparatus of the baby. If you read a book while lying in bed, then there is an insufficient blood supply to the eye muscles due to the clamping of blood vessels. When the child rolls over to one side, one eye becomes closer to the visual object, and the other is farther away. This makes focusing more difficult and eye strain.
• It is important to form the correct posture in the child from a very early age. During classes, it is necessary that his back is straight, and the monitor is above eye level. It is helpful to change seats at the school desk during the school year.
• It is important for the child to receive adequate nutrition and a balanced diet. This will supply the organ of vision with all the necessary trace elements and vitamins. If you have already been diagnosed with myopia, then it is worth diversifying the child's menu with fish, dairy products, herbs, eggs, fruits and vegetables that have undergone the minimum necessary heat treatment. Thus, children's eyes will be able to better cope with the increased loads on them, which means that it will be more effective to fight myopia.
• It is important to correctly organize children's leisure time. Often, after long-term work at a school desk, at home, children immediately begin to complete assignments. After completing homework, the child sits down at the computer and is enthusiastically given to virtual games. The risk of developing myopia with this daily routine is extremely high. Therefore, it is important that children spend as much time as possible outdoors. Such outdoor games as tennis and badminton help to train eyes and prevent the formation of myopia.
• It will not be superfluous to protect children's eyes from exposure to ultraviolet rays. Excessively bright light can provoke the development of the disease. When the weather is sunny, the child should be taught to use dark glasses. If it is too small, then a panama with wide brim would be an excellent solution.
• It is worth paying special attention to the illumination of the workplace where the child is engaged. It is important that access to the sun's rays is maximized. To do this, place the table to the right of the window, and purchase a table lamp for classes in the evening and winter.

It is worth remembering that the child's visual apparatus is in the process of formation, so the risk of developing myopia is higher than that of an adult. Taking care of instilling skills to prevent disease from childhood, you can protect children from the development of myopia.

The author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist