Myopia Management

Myopia control refers to strategies and treatments aimed at slowing down the progression of myopia, also known as nearsightedness. Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light rays to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it. This results in distant objects appearing blurry while close objects can be seen clearly.

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Myopia has been increasing globally at an alarming rate, especially in urban areas where children spend a lot of time indoors and engaged in near work activities such as reading, using computers, and playing video games. High myopia, particularly when it progresses rapidly during childhood, can significantly increase the risk of eye diseases like retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration later in life. 

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Various methods have been proposed for myopia control, including:

1. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): This involves wearing specially designed rigid contact lenses overnight to reshape the cornea temporarily. By flattening the cornea, Ortho-K lenses correct myopia and can slow its progression over time.

2. Multifocal contact lenses: These lenses have different powers in different zones, which can help reduce the progression of myopia by altering the way light focuses on the retina.

3. Atropine eye drops: Low-dose atropine eye drops have been shown to effectively slow down the progression of myopia in children. Atropine works by temporarily paralyzing the ciliary muscle in the eye, which reduces the eye's ability to focus on near objects and may help slow the elongation of the eyeball.

4. Increased outdoor time: Spending more time outdoors, particularly in natural sunlight, has been associated with a reduced risk of developing myopia or slower progression of myopia in children.

5. Environmental modifications: Encouraging good reading habits, such as holding books at an appropriate distance and taking frequent breaks from near work, may help reduce the risk of myopia progression.

6. Pharmacological treatments: Other pharmacological agents, such as pirenzepine, have also