All the solutions you need to know for myopia
Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is one of the most common refractive errors. About 27% of the world’s population is myopic. According to the Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri), “there are 2 million myopic adults and 350,000 highly myopic adults among Singapore residents” in 2024. Those with myopia are not able to see far objects hence the need for glasses or contact lenses to see far well. Myopia usually starts to manifest in children between the ages of 6 and 9.
Another area of concern is that the severity of myopia is worsening. Those with more than -6.00 of myopia are considered high myopes. This group of the population stands a higher risk of developing eye diseases and conditions including early cataract, retinal tear, retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Regular eye exams
A thorough eye examination with an eye specialist can pick up eye diseases and conditions (if any) promptly and even suss out health issues. When the blood vessel increases in size on the retina and there is fluid leakage, it may point to a person having diabetes. If a young person has a corneal arcus (a whitish/greyish colour that goes around the sides of the pupil), this can be a sign of high cholesterol. When there is swelling on the conjunctiva (white part of the eye) or dry eye, these may coincide with lupus, an inflammatory disease.
Those with high myopia are advised to have yearly eye checks and those 45 years and above are also advised to have a thorough eye examination with an eye specialist to exclude eye conditions like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and cataract.
Corrective lenses
The most common method of vision correction is to use glasses or contact lenses. However, those with high myopia may find glasses cumbersome, causing discomfort and headaches. On the other hand, long hours of contact lens wear may cause eye irritation, infection or dry eye. It is recommended to use contact lenses not more than 6 to 8 hours a day. And perhaps, let the eyes rest without contact lenses on weekends.
Multifocal contact lenses
There are different types of contact lenses available in the market, and one such type is the multifocal contact lens. Such contact lenses usually have 2 focal points – near and far, or 3 focal points – near, intermediate and far. They are usually used by those with presbyopia, a condition that occurs in those 40 years old and above when they will start to have difficulty seeing near objects clearly when the eye muscles weaken as one ages. In most cases, people will need time to get used to their vision on multifocal contact lenses and will find themselves getting more adjusted as time goes by.
Eyedrops
The onset of childhood myopia usually occurs between 6 and 9 years old and according to the Singapore National Eye Centre, “it tends to increase rapidly between 5 and 15 years old, and usually stabilises by the early 20’s”. For children whose myopia is increasing at a fast pace, atropine eyedrops can be prescribed to slow down the pace of myopia progression and is the main treatment these days to control childhood myopia in Singapore.
Outdoor & screen time
Growing children are encouraged to do more activities outdoors under the sun as studies have shown that children who do have a lower chance of developing myopia than those who do not. They are also encouraged to have less screen time especially the use of electronic devices as this is categorised as near work. More time spent on near work can also contribute to the development of myopia.
Consultation with an eye specialist
If your child or yourself has vision issue associated with myopia and would like to seek professional help, please contact Eye Max Centre at +65 6694 1000 or manager@eyemax.sg to consult an eye specialist.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4675264/
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/more-cases-of-high-myopia-seen-in-singapore
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/surprising-health-conditions-eye-exam-detects
https://www.warbyparker.com/learn/how-do-multifocal-contacts-work
https://www.singhealth.com.sg/news/patient-care/childhood-myopia-use-of-atropine-eye-drops
