Ophthalmologist gave advice on reducing the risk of myopia in children

Nearsightedness (myopia) in children is a common phenomenon, and there are many reasons why it is formed. Svetlana Mirgorodskaya, ophthalmologist, microsurgeon and laser surgeon at the SM Clinic, PhD, told Izvestia on March 21 about how to reduce the risk of myopia in a child.

As the doctor noted, one of the key factors affecting a child's eyesight is a genetic predisposition. If one or both parents have myopia, the child is more likely to develop it. However, heredity does not always mean an exact repeat of the diagnosis: parents may have a high degree of myopia, while the child may have only a weak one, or vice versa.

Another reason, according to the expert, is the active use of gadgets, books and other sources of information that require focusing at close range. The fact is that the eye is designed to better perceive objects at a long distance. Therefore, excessive stress when working in the vicinity causes muscle spasm, which gradually leads to an elongation of the eyeball and visual impairment.

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"To reduce the load, it is important to observe the visual load regime. When reading for a long time, using a smartphone or tablet, it is necessary to take breaks every hour — for 5-10 minutes to look away into the distance, to the far corner of the room, out the window or to the horizon," the specialist recommended.

Also, according to her, a deficiency of certain vitamins and trace elements can contribute to the development of myopia. According to a number of studies, vitamin D and dopamine slow down the elongation of the eyeball.

"In order for a child to receive sufficient amounts of these substances, it is recommended to stay outside for at least two hours every day. If for some reason this is not possible, it is worth discussing with your doctor the possibility of taking preventive doses of vitamin D," Mirgorodskaya advised.

Another important factor is hormonal balance. As the ophthalmologist explained, thyroid disorders, as well as fluctuations in blood sugar levels, can negatively affect the state of the visual system, exacerbating the predisposition to myopia.

Earlier, on March 10, Mirgorodskaya told Izvestia that the so—called flies in front of her eyes are a symptom that may indicate the presence of quite dangerous pathologies of the visual organs that require medical examination. According to her, the most common cause of this is the destruction of the vitreous, a gel—like substance that occupies two-thirds of the eye and consists of water, hyalocytes, reticulin and collagen fibers.