Myopia (Nearsightedness): A Pervasive Disease

Oct 31, 2022 | Myopia Management

VisionQuest Child Patients

Blog-Myopia-Pervasive-ChartMyopia is a disease that currently impacts 30% of the world’s population and by 2050, almostΒ 50% of the populationΒ will be myopic, that’s an unnerving 5 billion people. There is some debateΒ about whether myopia is a disease or aΒ refractive error. The answer is uncovered by howΒ myopiaΒ is defined and measured.

What Is The Definition Of A Disease?

The Review ofΒ Myopia ManagementΒ provides a few definitions of disease to consider:

  • A disease is any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of anΒ organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in natureΒ from physical injury. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020)
  • A disease is an abnormal condition affecting a living organism. Diseases are generallyΒ understood to be medical conditions that involve a pathological process associated withΒ a specific set of symptoms. (Infectious Disease News, 2019)

Myopia, also called nearsightedness or shortsightedness, is the inability to see objects at aΒ distance and is the mostΒ common vision issue among children and adults. Myopia’s mainΒ symptom is blurry distance vision; however, the physiological implication of myopia is that theΒ eyeball itself grows too long from front to back.Β (See image to right)

Is Myopia Curable?

The question of whether or not myopia is curable helps illustrate why myopia is a disease.

Treehouse Eyes doctor, Dr. Thanh Mai, O.D. addresses the common question, β€œCan myopia beΒ cured?” Myopia is not curable, but it can be treated. β€œUnfortunately, once myopia happens,Β which happens due to the eyeball growing too long, it is impossible to shrink it afterward. WhenΒ myopia occurs, it is permanent and irreversible.”

Dr. Mai then goes on to explain the importance of early intervention, β€œWe can prevent high levelsΒ of myopia which are associated with diseases such as macular maculopathy and retinalΒ detachment. Starting treatment early is critical because there is no cure for myopia and once aΒ child is diagnosed with this disease, it typically gets worse if left untreated.”

Myopia is a diseaseΒ that can be treated at the source by providing children withΒ treatmentΒ options, rather than just giving a child glasses for the symptom of myopia which is blurry vision.

Myopia Is a Disease

Blog-Myopia-Pervasive-Chart-2Although myopia has symptoms like blurry vision, that aren’t caused by physical injury, myopiaΒ itself is caused by the eye growing too long. In other words, theΒ axial lengthΒ increases outside ofΒ the normal rate for a child’s age.Β (See image to right)

The elongation of the eye is the core issue. Dr. Thanh Mai, O.D. details, β€œThe greaterΒ myopia, the longer the axial length of the eye and thus greater risk. Myopia is clearly a disease.Β One that requires treatment to reduce the negative impact it can have on a person’s eye healthΒ and vision.”

Myopia is a significant,Β prevalent diseaseΒ in children with increasing rates of progression. ThereΒ are also two types of classifications: non-pathologic andΒ pathologic myopia.

How is Myopia Treated?

Treehouse Eyes offer customized contact lenses and special prescription eye drops, and ourΒ doctors develop personalized treatment plans for each child. We will be able to determine whichΒ treatment plan works the best for your child at the first consultation withΒ VisionQuest Eyecare.Β Schedule a consultation nowΒ to find out more.

Additional Resources

Myopia Resource Center

Assess Your Child’s Risk For Myopia

CAMP Study: A Clinical Algorithm for Myopia Progression

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