Welcome to our new Myopia Monday Series on the Vision Vlog! Join Dr. Ashley Tucker as she explains what you need to know about myopia. Myopia is nearsightedness, which means you have difficulty seeing things far away.
One of the most frequently asked questions our optometrists get is “why did my child become myopic?”
The two main components of myopia progression are genetics and the amount of near work activities a child does.
1. Genetics: Statistically, a child with one myopic parent is three times more likely to become myopic. A child with two myopic parents is six times more likely to develop myopia and is also much more likely to become severely myopic.
2. Near Work Activities: While there have been no studies proving a correlation between the amount of near work and myopia, optometrists seeing patients do see that children that spend more time on computers or spend time doing things within arm’s reach tend to become more nearsighted.
How to prevent myopia onset?
Many studies have shown the more time children spend outdoors, the less likely they are to become nearsighted. However, children that are already myopic, being outdoors doesn’t tend to slow down their progression.
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