Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
177275 tn?1511755244

How to prevent or slow the development/progression of myopia (nearsightedness)

This is from the March 2019 Ophthalmology Management:  1. Get outside: at least 2 hours/day is essential, especially before the onset of myopia (young kids)  this allows the eye to focus far away instead of at near which causes myopia.  2. Get some variety: reduce screen time and take near-vision work breaks.   Use 20/20/20 rule (also modified sometimes to 15/15/15)  every 20 minutes when doing near work (read, computer, video screen, crafts) look up and at something at least 20 feet away and blink firmly 20 times).  3. Get further away from things (very near, very close is the mother of myopia) don't hold books or devices close to the eye.  4. Get more sleep: ideally more than 9 hrs/night for children  8 for adults  5. Get Eye MD ophthalmologist care: children with high risk of myopia or with rapidly developing myopia, there are myopia control programs using dilute atropine and other drops.
1 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Thank you for these important tips - only wish I'd seen this when I was a youngster!  I'll be sure to pass this information on for my grandchildren!
Helpful - 0
5 Comments
Tell them to protect their hearing also from lout noises. If I could go back and do it all over again this is one of the main things I would do.
Great information Dr. Hagan.  May want to also tell them to use sunscreen as well.  I am paying for that along with tinnitus from loud motorcycle.  I would get off that bike and couldn't hear well for a couple hours.  Now I wear ear plugs and sunscreen to protect what I have left.

Not that long ago kids would be playing outside in my neighborhood, running around and what not.   Very uncommon nowadays.  I also find it interesting that some parents use computer games and TV as a babysitter.  Not good.  
Young people have the ears/hearing of 40-50 year olds due to playing music at high volume and dry eyes like people in 70s because of prolonged screen time and also epidemic of myopia.  So young generation is not really taking very good care of themselves.
Is this risk of developing myopia from these activities still there after you've implanted an IOL, or does the permanence of the IOL add some resistance to this?
Implants are generally put in old or middle age people with stable myopia.  The myopic glasses prescription is put on the IOL so afterwards the person does not need strong myopic glasses or may not be myopic at all (however a little myopia is desirable to read without glasses).  The eye however is still longer than normal thus risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma and myopic macular degeneration are still there.
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Eye Care Community

Top General Health Answerers
177275 tn?1511755244
Kansas City, MO
Avatar universal
Grand Prairie, TX
Avatar universal
San Diego, CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
In this unique and fascinating report from Missouri Medicine, world-renowned expert Dr. Raymond Moody examines what really happens when we almost die.
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
When it comes to your health, timing is everything
We’ve got a crash course on metabolism basics.
Learn what you can do to avoid ski injury and other common winter sports injury.