5 Ways to Prevent Myopia From Worsening

One of the most common refractive errors is myopia. It is especially hazardous when it progresses and increases the risk of developing several other eye diseases. Therefore, it is vital to learn how to prevent myopia from worsening. 

What Is Myopia?

Also known as nearsightedness, myopia is a refractive error that affects about 25 percent of the American population. It occurs when incoming light does not bend properly in the eye, resulting in blurred or unclear vision. Consequently, objects or things up close appear to look clear, while those further away appear to look blurred. Myopia typically occurs during childhood.

Symptoms of Myopia

Some of the most common symptoms of myopia include the following:
 

• Blurred distant vision
   

• Strained eyes
   

• Frequent headaches
   

• Squinting to see clearly

Myopia in kids is quite common. Unfortunately, your little one may not know that they have a visual difficulty. Hence, it is vital to look out for any signs or symptoms of refractive errors in your child. A way to determine whether your child has a refractive error is through regular eye exams. Annual comprehensive eye exams will help your child’s eye doctor at Advanced Eyecare Consultants catch any vision problem as early as possible.

How to Prevent Myopia From Getting Worse

Most people with myopia wear corrective eyewear. However, your regular eyeglasses or contact lenses will not prevent myopia from worsening. Fortunately, you can take several steps to reduce the symptoms of nearsightedness and prevent the condition from worsening. Some of the things you should do include:

Spend Lots of Time Outdoors

If you are looking for ways to prevent your myopia from worsening, you may want to spend more time outdoors. Nearsightedness will likely worsen when you spend too much time indoors in a state of near focus.

Activities like spending too much time in front of your screen, knitting, or reading can worsen your condition. So consider going outside and focusing on things at a distance.

Take Breaks When Using Digital Screens

Your nearsightedness may worsen when you spend too much time staring at a digital screen or objects in near focus. These include cell phones and computers. As you probably know, it is easy to spend hours browsing the Internet or using your smartphone. Unfortunately, doing so will inevitably worsen your myopia. Thus, you should give your eyes a break every 20 minutes or so. Take a few minutes to focus on something other than your screen. Doing so will also give your eyes a break from staring at the harsh screen light.

Vision Therapy

Many people with myopia do not know anything about vision therapy. Did you know that a daily routine of performing eye exercises can help prevent nearsightedness from worsening? If you spend many hours at work or school working at a desk, you should take some time to exercise your eyes. 

Vision therapy involves eye movements such as accommodation, fusion, and convergence. One great thing about it is that you may not have to do the exercises forever. Once you build up the strength in your eye muscles, you will be able to reduce the time you spend doing vision therapy. 

For more on myopia prevention, visit Advanced Eyecare Consultants at our office in Libertyville or Lake Zurich, Illinois. You can call 847-994-4500 or 847-438-7700 today to schedule an appointment.