Myopia development

Myopia Development

Myopia, or “short sight,” is a common condition and rapidly becoming more common. People with myopia:
  - Typically develop it during high school or university (although there are exceptions)
  - Often will report a family history
  - Frequently spend a lot of uninterrupted time reading or sitting at a computer.

Myopia means that distance vision is blurry, whereas up close, vision is usually quite clear.
Because it is so common, there is plenty of research into just why people develop myopia, and how it might be prevented. Although there’s still a lot of work to be done, one suggestion coming out of the research is that it is the uninterrupted nature of close work, in younger people, that can often be the trigger to myopia development. There appears to be some sort of biochemical “feedback” system within the eye that is triggered by extended close work, and which then causes myopia to develop. Typically these people are high school or university students (commonly law students) and frequently – but not always - there is a family history of myopia.

We recommend that all young people take regular breaks from their close work. The suggested frequency is to have a quick break every 15 minutes, where the person would simply look away from their close work for about 15 seconds. This “glance away” should be at an object at least 6 metres away, and preferably out a window. It sounds easy, and it’s not. Purchasing an electronic timer might be a good way to get into this habit. It’s important to do, because myopia prevention not only allows young people to escape having to wear
glasses; it avoids some of the possible complications associated with myopia as well. These include early cataract development and increased risk of retinal detachment.