Childhood myopia has become one of the major issues in modern ophthalmology, and not by chance: its prevalence has been rising significantly in recent decades. More and more children are becoming short-sighted, and at an increasingly younger age. The good news is that we now have a better understanding of why this happens and, above all, we have tools to slow its progression.<\/p>\n
What is myopia and why does it matter if it starts early?<\/strong><\/p>\n A short-sighted child sees distant objects as blurry \u2014 the blackboard, the television, faces at a distance. But childhood myopia is not just about \u2018poor distance vision\u2019: the underlying concern is that the earlier it appears, the more it tends to progress during the years of growth. And high myopia in adulthood is associated with a greater risk of certain eye problems in the future. Why there are more and more cases<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no single cause, but rather a combination of factors. Genetics play a part \u2014 it is more likely if the father or mother is short-sighted \u2014 but lifestyle habits are increasingly recognised as a factor: many hours of close-up work (screens, reading, studying) and little time spent outdoors. Natural light and distance vision appear to have a protective effect that today\u2019s lifestyle has diminished.<\/p>\n Warning signs for families<\/strong><\/p>\n What can be done today: managing myopia<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to standard optical correction, there are now specific strategies to slow the progression of childhood myopia: specially designed glasses and contact lenses, specific treatments and recommendations on habits \u2014 more time outdoors, breaks from close-up work, good lighting. The suitability of each option depends on the child\u2019s age, the degree of myopia and its rate of progression, so it should always be assessed by a specialist.<\/p>\n Eye examinations: the best tool<\/strong><\/p>\n Children do not always realise that they \u2018cannot see properly\u2019: to them, the way they see is normal. That is why regular eye examinations are essential \u2014 they enable myopia to be detected early and, if it is already present, allow its progression to be monitored so that action can be taken in good time.<\/p>\n At the INOF Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n At the INOF Institute, we carry out paediatric eye examinations and myopia management programmes tailored to each child. If you have noticed any of the above signs, or simply want to make sure your child is seeing properly, we can help.<\/p>\n Book an appointment for your child at www.inof.es.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Childhood myopia has become one of the major issues in modern ophthalmology, and not by chance: its prevalence has been rising significantly in recent decades. More and more children are becoming short-sighted, and at an increasingly younger age. The good news is that we now have a better understanding of why this happens and, above…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":5659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[379],"tags":[],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-5663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-myopia","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThat is why the current aim is not just to \u201cprescribe glasses so they can see properly\u201d, but to control the progression so that the final degree of myopia is as low as possible.<\/p>\n\n