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Myopia

Short-sightedness in children

What is myopia or short-sightedness?

Short-sightedness, or myopia in technical terms, is becoming increasingly common in our modern world. Myopia is characterized by difficulty seeing distant things. As a consequence, short-sighted people perceive objects at a distance indistinctly or blurred. Conversely, they can clearly see closer objects.

How does our eye work?

Normal eye

Normal eye

Light enters the eye, passing through the cornea, pupil, lens, and aqueous humour. The lens focusses the light and projects an image onto the retina. This is where the photoreceptors are located.

These photoreceptors transmit the information to the brain via the optic nerve, enabling us to see the image.

Axial myopia

Axial myopia

This form of myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long. The focal point is located in front of the retina. This causes an unclear image on the surface of the retina, which is then also perceived as blurry by the brain.

Refractive myopia

Refractive myopia

This form of myopia occurs when the refractive power of the lens and cornea is too high. The focal point is located in front of the retina. This causes an unclear image on the surface of the retina, which is then also perceived as blurry by the brain.

Why is short-sightedness becoming increasingly common among children?

Why is short-sightedness becoming increasingly common among children? The trend in recent years is alarming. Every second child under the age of 10 is or will become short-sighted. In 2000, 22.9% of the world’s population was affected by myopia. According to the Brien Holden Vision Institute, 50% of the world’s population could suffer from myopia by 2050. The trend in Europe is also alarming. Currently, a good 47% of 25 to 29-year-olds are short-sighted.

Causes of myopia

Lifestyle changes are the most important cause!

Tablets, smartphones, and laptops have a massive influence on media consumption today. At the same time, they are also a new source of strain on the eyes. People often check their e-mails or read the news on their smartphones first thing in the morning. Then, they usually spend hours working at a computer. Constant close-range vision like this significantly increases myopia. At the same time, it is not just a matter of screen time but also the intensive use of digital devices in general. This is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly among children. Interestingly, there are clear international differences.

People in Asia spend an average of 14 hours a day on the Internet compared to 6 hours in the USA. In addition, people in these countries also neglect outdoor activities in natural and bright light. Australia is a different story: Here, only 30% of 17-year-olds are short-sighted. At the same time, Australians have more than three hours of activity per day. This is well above the average for Americans, Asians, and Europeans, with a maximum of between one and two hours a day. This is a major disadvantage for the eyes.

How does short-sightedness become apparent?

Those affected can still see perfectly at close range. This is why they can usually read or work using a screen without any problems.
Myopia becomes noticeable when recognising distant objects.

The image becomes blurred, as described above.

The following symptoms may be signs of myopia:

  • The further away an object is, the more blurred it appears
  • People with myopia can only recognize faces and people as they move closer
  • They have problems reading street names and house numbers
  • Reading projected texts is difficult
  • They cannot see individual leaves or branches on trees
  • Illuminated signs or other light sources seem blurry
  • The further away an object is, the more blurred it appears
  • They suffer headaches, especially during and after activities that require clear distance vision, such as driving a car

What is myopia or short-sightedness?

How is myopia examined?

An ophthalmologist or optician generally performs an eye test. Short-sightedness is tested using eye charts at a distance of five to six metres. First, the test is performed with the left eye covered, and the right eye is tested once without and once with corrective lenses. Then the other eye is tested using the same procedure.

If the eye test indicates the presence of myopia, consulting an ophthalmologist is recommended. To be on the safe side, the ophthalmologist determines whether other diseases or changes to the eye are present and treats them if necessary.

How is myopia treated?

There are three ways to treat short-sightedness. By wearing glasses, contact lenses or through surgery. Glasses for short-sighted people shift the point at which distant objects are in focus so that the focus is positioned directly in the retinal plane. Diffusing lenses with a negative refractive index are used. Eye surgery may be an option for people who cannot or do not want to wear glasses or contact lenses. Lasers are increasingly used for this surgery. Today, the main laser procedure used to correct short-sightedness is known as LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis). Sufficient corneal thickness is an important prerequisite for LASIK surgery. In addition, the visual acuity should not have changed significantly in the past months.

In the case of more severe myopia and if the cornea is not thick enough, ophthalmologists can implant an artificial lens. These lenses are called ICLs (intraocular contact lenses). This procedure is preferably performed on younger patients. In older patients, myopia is often corrected as part of cataract surgery. In this procedure, the patient’s own lens is replaced with an artificial lens.

OCULUS myopia software with growth control

Precisely determined, scientifically validated, clearly presented

Regular eye growth checks are an essential aspect of successful myopia management. The Myopia Master® software and Pentacam® AXL Wave show eye growth in detail and visualize the success of your treatment. The annual growth in eye length is calculated and documented. The software visualizes the success of the treatment measures, such as Ortho-K lenses or special myopia spectacle lenses. If the treatment does not have the desired effect, you can use the information to optimize your treatment. The documentation supports your communication with your customer.

In addition, you can also precisely predict how the myopia will develop in the future. Using the guided myopia software gives you greater security and creates a more convincing experience for the customer. Simply structured, intuitive to use, and incomparably precise. Your perfect start to treating an increasingly important issue! This simple and professional myopia management concept enables you to achieve satisfied customers in 5 simple steps:

  • 1
    Measurement
    All of the important data is recorded in just a single measurement process: axial length, refraction, and keratometry.
  • 2
    Data analysis
    The growth curves of the Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) facilitate interpreting the data.
  • 3
    Risk assessment
    Questionnaire for visual behaviour, external influences, and customer education.
  • 4
    Myopia Report
    Evaluation-based treatment recommendations, clearly listed for the customer.
  • 5
    Growth analysis
    Annual eye length growth and treatment successes are clearly displayed.
OCULUS myopia software with growth control

Now, the myopia software is not only linked to the Myopia Master® but can also process data from the Pentacam® AXL Wave. This is a major advantage for you, as it allows you to expand or change your equipment without losing data. Progression data is the cornerstone of myopia management. That is why myopia software can be used simultaneously with both devices to further increase your flexibility and efficiency.

Two products, one innovative solution.

Learn more about the
OCULUS Pentacam® AXL Wave & OCULUS Myopia Master®.

The next generation is here! The new Pentacam® AXL Wave is the first device to combine Scheimpflug tomography with axial length, total wavefront, refraction AND retroillumination.

The Myopia Master® from OCULUS now enables optometrists and ophthalmologists to position themselves optimally for the future. The Myopia Master® combines the most important parameters, making myopia detection and management much easier and more reliable than ever.

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