4 best ways to control myopia
Here are the 4 best ways that can help in controlling myopia
Everything you need to know on how to control myopia. Do you know Singapore has one of the world’s highest myopia rates? It is projected that By 2050, 80 to 90 percent of all Singaporean adults above 18 years old will be myopic and 15 to 25 percent of these individuals may have high myopia.
You can refer to this table and it will show you the advantages and disadvantages and the cost of using different treatment methods.
| Modality | PROS | CONS | Cost |
| Spectacle Lens | -Simple -Non invasive -Easy to wear and prescribe | Some Bifocals lens does not look aesthetically pleasing | $600 excluding frame |
| Soft Contact Lens | – wider field of vision – Looks great aesthetically – Ideal for sports | -lower quality vision when compared to spectacles – not suitable for dry eyes -difficulties in handling -parental supervision required | About $1900 per year |
| Ortho keratology | -no need to wear spectacle or contact lens during day time -wider field of view -Ideal for sports | – higher risk of microbial keratitis than daily wear contact lens -limited prescription range -skills and equipment required by practitioner -parental supervision required | Min $2000 onwards |
| Atropine | – when used with Single Vision lens correction, likely to have good vision | -longer duration of treatment compared to other myopia control solutions -can dilate pupil and reduce accommodation with higher concentration requiring near add and or photo-chromatic spectacles -limited availability -rebound effects with high dosage | $300 to $1000 +++ onwards |
Alternatives Solution
Alternatively, children need to be aware of their study environment, and take regular eye breaks, read here for more information on how to rest my eyes effectively.
Here are some tips on how to set up a good environment for work and study environment. The 3 main items that you need to take note of will be :
1] Lightings
Make sure adequate lightings for your environment. We do not want lights that are too bright, because it will be too glaring for our eyes. We need something more soothing for the eyes, so that when we are doing near work, we are able to focus well and be more productive.
You can consider this desk lamp, which is space saving and helps to protect the eyes. Here are the features of a good desk lamp:
some cool features :
6 Color Modes & stepless Dimmer
The light features 6 Color Modes & stepless Dimmer. You can choose a warm light as your bedside table for relaxing, or you can choose intense white light for office as well.
Eye-Protection & Energy Saving Lighting
High quality LED panel provides a more bright light source that close to sunlight, less fatigue, more productivity. 98 high-efficiency LEDs that have a 50,000-hour lifespan and consume 80% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting.
One-Touch Function
The lamp is touch control. Just one click to Reading Mode, 10 or 40-minute timer lets you enjoy reading then fall asleep without bothering to turn off the light.
2] Standing Desk
This adjustable table top allows you to sit when you are tired, and stand when you are seated for too long. Well, that is now the lifestyle of 21st century human beings. We are always in a sedentary position when we are studying and working. Consider investing in this table if you are always sitting like a potato.
3] Chair
Given our sedentary lifestyle, it will be better if we can get a lumbar-supported ergonomic chair to alleviate lower back ache. Here are some of the cool features of the chair that stand out from the rest.
First, it comes with breathable material that is being used as a chair mesh, the mechanism comes with a different control, so you can adjust forward or sitting straight or lean back.
Visual Habits
To control myopia in children, you can consider the 4 solutions above, complement them with a good working environment and good visual habits as follows:
20-20-20 Rule
Every 20 spent on reading or near work, you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds
Outdoor
Spennd at least 2 hours a day outdoor, such as playing badminton, soccer, basketball.
Reduce screen Time
Limit the amount of leisure near work (outside of school time) to less than 2 hours.
Conclusion
In order to protect our children from myopia, we should try our best to intervene before the eye prescription escalates higher and higher. Together with the 4 solutions, good studying environment and good visual habits, this will definitely help in controlling myopia.
