Myopia (or short-sightedness) is a very common refractive condition that is affecting many Singaporeans.
It is particularly serious in local children with its severity rising almost every year. The degree of myopia increases by more than 1.50D per year in 9 year-olds on average.
Vision is generally poor when a short-sighted child looks into the distance, but near vision may be perfect. This refractive error can be easily corrected using spectacles or contact lenses to provide good vision.
High degrees of myopia are also a major concern in Singapore – more than 5% of 18 year-olds exceed 6.00D of myopia. This may be due to an excessively long eyeball.
Individuals who suffer from high myopia have a higher risk of developing eye diseases later on in life compared to those who do not suffer from myopia.
For myopia control, options include specially prescribed rigid gas permeable contact lenses, nearvision computer lenses, atropine eyedrops, lasik surgery and visual therapy. The effectiveness of some of these options would vary from individual to individual and it would be wise to visit an optometrist to have an eye examination before embarking on any of the myopia control methods.
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