Children's Vision Month

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 A 1 5 ONE OF THESE KIDS HAS A VISION ISSUE. mb-opto.ca BY TODD LEWYS It's a common eye health issue that starts small but can get big in a hurry. The issue? Myopia, or near-sightedness, where the eyeball becomes too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of, rather than on the retina, making distant objects blurry. Myopia develops as the eyes grow during childhood and the teen years, and once this lengthening of the eyeball occurs, nearsightedness is permanent and glasses or other treatments are a lifelong necessity. These days, myopia and its progression have become an epidemic due to a number of factors; one of which is the increased amount of time kids spend peering at their smartphones, tablets and laptops, says Doctor of Optometry Nana Owusu of Prairie Eye Care. The facts are alarming: "At present, about 30 per cent of the population is myopic," he says. "It's estimated that that figure will climb to 50 per cent by 2050." Of course, some of this is determined by our genetics. "If one or both parents are nearsighted, the likelihood that their children will be nearsighted is increased," Owusu says. "That said, with the rise in the amount of screen time we all have as children and adults, we expect this epidemic to progress. As we increase how much we look at things up close, the incidence of nearsightedness will increase." And while myopia isn't serious, its progression can be. If the degree of myopia is moderate, eyeglasses, contact lenses or other treatments are needed. However, if myopia progresses to a more significant degree, conditions can result in later life that impact eye health and may cause serious vision impairment. This is something that your Doctor of Optometry can determine and is an important reason for children to get regular eye exams. Question is, why are screen time and near activity such huge factors in causing the onset of myopia? "It's due to the lengthening of the eye as a result of the activity of the eye muscles that comes along with near work," Owusu says. "We have an easy remedy for this that can slow down this epidemic — a major lifestyle change: playing outside. There is evidence that we can significantly decrease the incidence of myopia by simply playing outdoors. We recommend kids spend 90 minutes daily playing outdoors, while ensuring that they wear proper sun protection. Simple as it may sound, it's effective." The key here in combatting myopia, says Owusu, is giving your eyes time to relax. "We recommend taking a screen break every hour at a minimum," he says. "Even better would be to take advantage of what is known as the '20-20-20 rule': after 20 minutes of screen time, you should look at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Regular breaks will allow your eyes to rest and help reduce strain." Our lifestyles today may make it difficult to completely reverse the path of this epidemic but Owusu says there are viable options available for management of myopia. "The first thing you need to do is have an eye exam with your Doctor of Optometry to evaluate your child's eyes," he says. "We recommend the first exam by six to nine months and we are fortunate that eye examinations are covered by Manitoba Health up to and including the age of 18." Once the Doctor of Optometry has the opportunity to examine and evaluate the child, a plan for management options can be established. "There are three treatment options that have been proven to be effective," Owusu says. "One option is a drop called atropine which in low concentrations can slow the progression of myopia." Another option uses a special type of contact lens through a process called orthokeratology. A third option is a specialty soft contact lens that is worn during the day to change how light focuses into the eye. All three may be helpful in slowing myopic progression. "Regular eye exams will help detect problems earlier rather than later," Owusu says. "With myopia and myopic progression, ensuring that your child is examined regularly will allow us to ensure the best management options are used. They are all very effective and we as parents just want what's best for our children. We are fortunate that despite the increase in the amount of screen time today, we have great options that can help combat this epidemic known as myopic progression. Our Manitoba Doctors of Optometry are equipped with the knowledge and tools to help." MANAGING THE MYOPIA EPIDEMIC Doctor of Optometry Nana Owusu of Prairie Eye Care says there are viable options available for management of myopia. Photo by Jason Halstead

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