Does your child squint at the TV while watching? Does your child have trouble participating in physical activities due to blurred vision? Does your child get an annual increase in lens grade every year?

These, dear parents, are just a few of the reasons why myopia progression should be a concern for you.

Did you know that myopia is one of the most common eye disorders in the world? All About Vision estimates that about 30 to 40 percent of adults in the U.S. and in Europe are myopic, and up to 80 percent or higher of Asians, especially in China, are also suffering from varying degrees of myopia.

And the numbers are only getting more alarming.

 

The National Eye Institute projects that by 2030, over 35 million people, in the U.S. alone, will be myopic. And by year 2050, the figure will surge to almost 45 million.

 

A global study published by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, cited in an article for the Science Daily, forecasted that 10 percent of the world’s population will be at risk of blindness by 2050 if the prevalence of myopia, and its eventual progression to high myopia, is not arrested.

Did you know that myopia can progress into more complex eye issues, and worst, even blindness?

 

 

One study among Koreans with high myopia found that cataracts “tended to develop sooner in highly myopic eyes compared with normal eyes.” It is also worth noting that having high myopia increases one’s chances of complications such as retinal detachment. An Australian study, on the other hand, found that myopia is also related to increased prevalence of glaucoma. The authors of the study concluded that there is a “strong relationship between myopia and glaucoma” and that those participants who were nearsighted had “two to three times greater risk of glaucoma than participants with no myopia.”

 

 

Dear parents, the emotional, psychological and social consequences of having unchecked myopia can have long-term ill effects on your child’s growth and development.

When your child is unable to participate in physical activities because of their vision or when their academic performance is affected, this can cause them to develop low self-esteem, anxiety or psychological stress.

 

 

It’s never too late to enforce good eye care habits. And thanks to modern medical technology, there are now child-friendly ways to effectively manage myopia and even arrest its progression.

Dear parents, you are not alone in this struggle. We’re here to help you. If you’ve got any questions about myopia or Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT) and how it can help you and your child, join the discussion on Facebook or tweet us.