Myopia

Nearsightedness (MIOPIA) is a visual disturbance, whereby people are only able to distinguish small details of objects and images in close range, as well as those objects located at a long distance, will be dimly unclear manner. The farther the object is, the less impaired the eye can see.

The physical properties of the refractive error in myopia are very simple: The image of the object is not focused on the retina like the normal eye, but rather in the front of the retina, so the object is not clear.

Reason:

• There are still some people who believe that use the eyes a lot will have myopia. Because high school students who have a myopic rate more than the secondary student, and secondary student have a myopic more than primary school student. Another reason is in intellectual workers or in those use eyes closely (watchmakers) having a higher rate of myopia than others.

• However, more and more people are not admitting the above reasons. They assume that if there is a high level of myopia in high school than secondary students and in secondary school compare with the primary students, it is because myopia usually appears after 10 years old. School myopia means myopia arises in the age of going to school which does not mean that school is the cause. On the other hand, we also see others that start very early (before age 8 and grow until age 11, then stop).

• Nowadays, people tend to emphasize genetics, it means that the rate of myopia depends on the breed of person. For example, the Anglicans in Mexico never have myopia, and the Palinetic people in Africa have a very low rate of myopia (0.14%). In contrast, the British, German (European) are a lot. 

Treatment of myopia

• Eyeglasses are one of the necessary measures of treatment. Depending on the degree of myopia, patients need to wear glasses regularly or just wear glasses when looking far away (the ophthalmologist will advise specifically for each case). If the near-sighted patient is properly corrected, myopia will progress slower. 

• Besides glasses, patients can use lenses, this method has aesthetic benefits. However, the user must be especially cautious about hygiene, otherwise, it will damage the cornea which can cause corneal inflammation or ulceration.

• Physiotherapy: the effect of restoring the function of eye regulation, enhancing the circulation of the body of the eyelids, retina, enhancing metabolism, enhancing muscle tone such as regulatory practice on the machine, medicinal effects actions, ultrasonic waves, electricity, electronics, low energy laser.

• Surgery:

  • For myopia children have a rapidly increasing nearsightedness (over 1.0 diopter/year), it is necessary to intervene with sclera to limit the increase.

  • For patients over 18 years old with stable nearsightedness, they can treat myopia with an excimer laser (Lasik), Femtosecond Laser, or Relex Smile.