What is myopia?
What is myopia?
In myopia or near sightedness, the light rays from an object form an image in front of the retina.
Children with myopia
- Have defective vision for distance and clear vision for near
- Squeeze their eyes while trying to see distant objects
- Hold books close to their face while reading
Children with the above conditions may also have
- Pain, watering or burning sensation in the eyes, rub their eyes constantly or blink frequently, because of the eye strain which they experience all the time
- Headache in the forehead region intensified in the evening
- Recurrent swellings in the eye lids.
Treatment for the above conditions
- Corrective spectacle is the best option available. Though children may initially refuse to accept glasses, they will become fond of them once they realise they can see better with them on.
- The power of the glasses may change depending on the growth of the eye ball. An eye check-up and change of glasses if necessary, has to be done once in 6 months for children under 5 years of age and once a year thereafter. Making a child wear glasses regularly is the duty and responsibility of the parents.
- Failure to wear glasses in childhood when needed will retard the development of vision in that eye.
- Children older than 15 years can use contact lenses if they don’t want spectacles. Those over 18 to 20 years of age with stable power also have the option of LASIK, a laser refractive surgery apart from contact lenses.
