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Curious Girl

Orthokeratology

About Myopia

Why is Myopia a concern for children?

Since 2000, there has been a growing trend of myopia globally. Epidemiologists have measured a global myopia rate of 22% in year 2000, growing to 30% currently and predict that by 2050, the rate of myopia globally will be 50%.

Myopia Trend.png

What is causing this trend?

  • Genetics and parental history.

  • High sugar diet.

    • Sugar has been shown to cause molecules in our sclera to be weak, thereby losing its resilience to the lengthening of the eyeball which characterises myopia progression.​

  • Increased near work in formal education.

    • Increased use of digital screens and technology from a young age and often poor reading posture​ or poor reading habits leads to myopia. 

    • Recommended strategies include increasing reading distance to 30 - 40cm away or elbow length, reading in good natural light, good upright reading posture. 

    • Recommended strategies of digital device usage includes limiting to 1 - 2 hours per day, and balancing 1:1 digital screen time with outdoor play time and sun exposure.

  • Time spent outdoors

    • World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends strategies devised to increase the amount of time children spend outdoors, particularly in preschool and primary school. They have recommended 2 hours per day.​

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Why is Myopia a concern for children?

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of eye disease in adult life. This is a concern for our children as childhood myopia is known to be progressive until young adult life. By kerbing annual increases in myopia, we are able to significantly reduce a child's risk of eye diseases in their adult life. 

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts.

 

-0.50 to -1.99D 1.59x

-2.00 to -3.99D 3.22x

-4.00 to -5.99D 5.36x

>=-6.00D 12.34x

 

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Glaucoma.

 

< -3.00D 1.65x

> -3.00D 2.46x

 

Incidence of Myopic Maculopathy.

 

< -5.00 0.42%

-5.00 to -9.00 25.3%

>-9.00 >50%

 

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Retinal Detachment.

-1.00 to -2.99 2.2x

-3.00 to -4.99 9.7x

-5.00 to -6.99 40.6x

-7.00 to -8.99 126.8x

>=-9.00 348.6x

 

To put these into perspective, we compare these to the risk factors of hypertension.

Systolic BP 140 - 149 1.6x

Systolic BP 150 - 159 2.2x

Systolic BP > 160 3.2x

 

Smoking as a risk factor for stroke.

<20 Cigarettes per day 2.7x

>20 Cigarettes per day 2.9x

 

By keeping a child’s prescription below -5.00, we mitigate the risk of the following conditions:

Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts -74%

Glaucoma -67%

Retinal Detachment -98%

Myopic Maculopathy -99%

Brien Holden Vision Institute published in 2016 that reducing myopia by 50% per annum will reduce the incidence of high myopia (-5.00) by 90% globally.

Our goal as eyecare professionals is to improve the quality of our children's vision and eye health for now and into the future for generations to come.

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