Myopia or Nearsighted in Children

Myopia in ChildrenMyopia (nearsightedness)

A person suffering from myopia is known as short-sighted because it can see things up close but has drawbacks for distinguishing distant objects or images. Although myopia is usually mild and controllable disorder, severe myopia can trigger more serious eye problems and even cause blindness.

Symptoms of Myopia

Myopia is a refractive error type that usually presents in children aged between eight and twelve years old or so.
The telltale signs that a child may be nearsighted include forced vision, difficulty seeing objects at a distance and the fact of holding books or other objects near the face. Sometimes a person with myopia may have headaches or eyestrain from the effort necessary to concentrate the light.

Causes of Myopia

While there are many theories about behaviors that may trigger or worsen myopia, the medical community generally agrees that nearsightedness is an inherited trait.

People are myopic eyes with elongated or curved corneas steeper than those of the average person, this makes the light entering the eye focuses at a point that is ahead of the retina rather than on it.

This type of refractive error is more common in individuals who have a direct relative with the disorder.

Diagnosis of Myopia

Myopia can be easily diagnosed during a routine eye exam. In general, a visual acuity test combined with a refractive evaluation can not only identify nearsightedness, but can also determine the degree of myopia.

The visual acuity test consists of reading a special table at a specific distance.

Depending on how well you can read the table the patient, the physician may determine the degree of sharpness of vision. During an evaluation of refraction, the patient is asked to look through a device known as the eye changes refractor lenses and the patient asks questions.

This allows the practitioner to determine the most effective strength to correct the patient’s vision.

Moderate to severe myopia

Without the aid of corrective lenses, it is possible for people with moderate or severe myopia can only see objects that are within a few inches from his face. Degenerative myopia, a rare disorder in which the eye is stretched beyond the normal range, can trigger various complications.

These include: stretching and thinning of the outer shell of the eye (or sclerotic), retinal detachment, macular degeneration, increased likelihood of cataracts and even glaucoma.

Degree of nearsightedness

The diopter is the unit used to measure the power of a lens. Can also be used to describe the degree of myopia than one person. A person with myopia have a prescription of -3.0 diopters or less.

It is considered that an individual with a degree of myopia range between -3.0 and -6.0 diopters is a moderate myopic. Values in excess of -6.0 diopters are considered serious. The degree of myopia of a person affect their ability to undergo procedures such as LASIK and PRK.

Contact an ophthalmologist to schedule an eye exam

For more information on myopia or whether you or your child is nearsighted, see your local eye doctor. Even severe myopia can be controlled if detected early. Use our directory to find an ophthalmologist in your area.

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