Myopia, or nearsightedness, can be managed and potentially prevented through a combination of lifestyle changes and early interventions.
While myopia is indeed hereditary, there are proactive measures we can take to prevent its progression in our children. Although we cannot reverse its onset, we can certainly reduce or slow its advancement. The key is early detection!
Most of us do not realize the importance of detecting Myopia early in our children. In fact, by the time a child is detected to have reading problems during the School Health Screening, the Myopia level might be ‘200-300 degrees’ which is not ideal.
Studies have shown that prescription eyedrops are able to slow down the progression of Myopia by approximately half! This is substantial considering if a child had the genetic predisposition to be ‘1000 degrees’ myopic, prescription eyedrops could potentially reduce that to half at ‘500 degrees’.
Having good Near Work Habits or hygiene is a key part of Myopia prevention. Children may not realize that taking care of their eyes at their young tender age is beneficial to their eyes for the rest of their adult life.
