Myopia in Children
Myopia is a refractive error that?s commonly referred to as near-sightedness or short-sightedness and most often develops between the ages of eight and 12.
This widespread cause of poor eyesight hinders the effective range of vision, with objects only appearing clear and in focus when nearby. With the increasing severity of myopia, the closer objects have to be held to be in focus.
Although myopia often develops at a young age, it becomes significantly worse during puberty as the body experiences rapid periods of growth.
If you?re an adult with myopia, laser eye surgery is highly effective in removing the need for glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK works by creating a small flap in the upper layers of the cornea. Once exposed, a laser is used to remove some tissue, reshaping the cornea. PRK is an alternative and works by reshaping the cornea without firstly creating a surface flap. Myopia affects nearly half of young adults in the US and Europe which is double the prevalence compared to half a century ago. Up to 90 percent of teenagers and young adults suffer from the refractive error in Asia, with an alarming 96.5 per cent of teenage men suffering from short-sightedness in one Korean study.
What?s particularly worrying is that myopia is being diagnosed earlier in school children and rising in severity. A child with one short-sighted parent is three times more likely of developing progressive myopia or six times more likely if both parents are myopic.
Prog...