{"id":20523,"date":"2022-01-24T13:15:46","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T13:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=20523"},"modified":"2022-01-24T13:19:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T13:19:17","slug":"understanding-the-myopia-explosion-6-myths-and-facts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-myopia-management\/understanding-the-myopia-explosion-6-myths-and-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Myopia Explosion: 6 Myths and Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"

The rate of myopia in the western world has doubled in the last 30 years.<\/b><\/h2>\n

This is known as the \u2018myopia explosion\u2019…\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n

In today\u2019s day and age, children are spending more time indoors, often learning and playing on digital screens, and less time outdoors playing in the sun. At the same time, the rate of myopia<\/a> development and progression<\/a> has spiked in recent years.<\/p>\n

Is this jump in myopia (nearsightedness) linked to the way children are spending their time?\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

What\u2019s causing the myopia explosion?<\/i><\/p>\n

Can anything be done to help our children maintain their vision and long-term eye health?<\/i><\/p>\n

Here are our top 6 myths and facts about the myopia explosion:<\/p>\n

Myth #1: The only problem of myopia is blurry vision<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fact: Myopia is linked to an increased risk of sight-threatening eye conditions later in life.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

1. Glaucoma<\/b><\/p>\n

According to a study published in Value in Health<\/i> (May 2015)<\/i>, myopia increases the risk of glaucoma<\/a> significantly, with moderate myopia being twice as likely, and high myopes being three times as likely to develop glaucoma.<\/p>\n

Myopic eyes tend to be larger than average, making the optic nerve more vulnerable to damage, causing an increased risk for glaucoma for people with high myopia.<\/p>\n

2. Retinal detachment<\/b><\/p>\n

Myopia has also been linked to increased risk of retinal detachment<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Already in 1993, the American Journal of Epidemiology<\/i>\u00a0 found that myopia is a \u201cclearly relevant factor for retinal detachment.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the study, those with mild myopia were four times more likely to develop retinal detachment, while the risk jumped 10 times in those with mild to high myopia.<\/p>\n

3. Macular degeneration<\/b><\/p>\n

Myopic macular degeneration (MMD)<\/a> can occur as the longer length of the eyeball, results in stretching of the retina, eventually leading to retinal tears and bleeding of the retinal blood vessels.<\/p>\n

4. Cataracts<\/b><\/p>\n

Cataracts<\/a> are a clouding of the focusing lens inside the eye and are another potentially sight-threatening eye condition linked to myopia.<\/p>\n

Eye care professionals suspect that the increased length of the eyeball that causes myopia also hinders nutrient delivery to the lens of the eye. This nutrient deprivation is a possible cause of cataract formation as a result of myopia.<\/p>\n

Myth #2: Outdoor play has no effect on myopia development<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fact: Researchers found that children who spent at least 14 hours per week, or two hours per day, playing outside in the sunshine were less likely to develop myopia than those who spent less time outdoors.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Many studies, including Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (February 2019), show a strong link between the amount of time children spend outdoors<\/a> and the development of myopia.<\/p>\n

Myth #3: Once your child has myopia, there\u2019s no way to slow its progression<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fact: Myopia management is a well-established area of eye care specifically dedicated to slowing down the progression of myopia.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Because myopia has been linked to heightened risk of developing sight-threatening eye conditions later in life, eye doctors have developed methods of combating it\u2019s progression.<\/p>\n

Myopia management<\/a> methods used by eye doctors include:<\/p>\n