Generally speaking, once adulthood is reached, the eyes stabilize, and the prescription for glasses no longer undergoes significant changes.
However, neglecting eye hygiene and proper habits can lead to a continuous increase in one's glasses prescription. This reminds people to pay attention to eye protection, avoid excessive eye use, and wear appropriate glasses to safeguard vision.
Causes of Myopia Progression
1. Pathological Myopia
Generally, this refers to myopia exceeding 1000 degrees, often accompanied by other pathological changes in the eyes, and does not stabilize with age. Pathological myopia often has a genetic component, manifesting as continuous and rapid progression of myopia.
If myopia increases by more than 100 degrees within a year, or even exceeds 200 degrees, or accumulates to 2000 degrees of high myopia, it may be considered pathological myopia. Currently, a commonly used treatment is posterior scleral reinforcement surgery.
2. Neglect of Eye Habits
Factors such as excessive or insufficient lighting, prolonged screen time, and failure to timely diagnose and treat eye conditions like entropion, ptosis, or keratitis, can exacerbate myopia.
Additionally, there are other hypotheses in the medical community linking myopia progression to deficiencies in certain micronutrients like lutein or excessive carbohydrate intake during childhood, but these theories have yet to be conclusively validated.
The human eye typically reaches maturity around the age of 20, and during adolescence, the eye is in a phase of growth and development. Hence, teenagers have a higher likelihood of developing myopia or experiencing its progression. Conversely, adults generally have more stable vision. However, prolonged exposure to screens, excessive reading, and persistent eye fatigue contribute to the prevalent trend of myopia progression in adults.
How to Prevent Myopia Progression
1. Increase Outdoor Activities
Increasing time spent outdoors is widely recognized to help delay the progression of myopia. Aim for at least 1-2 hours of outdoor activity daily, with time accumulative.
2. Reduce Near Work
The correlation between near work and myopia is still inconclusive. However, considering the high prevalence of myopia, especially in some Southeast Asian regions where the prevalence rate reaches up to 80%, there is a significant association with prolonged studying.
In recent years, with the proliferation of electronic devices, near work extends beyond reading and doing homework to include activities like using smartphones and other video terminals. It is advisable to minimize close-range work time and take a 5-minute break after every half-hour of eye use.
3. Appropriate Lighting
Neither too dim nor too bright lighting is conducive to visual health. Adjust the brightness to a level that feels comfortable for your eyes. If you are right-handed, place the desk lamp to your left front to avoid casting shadows from your hand onto the page.
4. Correct Eye Posture
Maintaining the right posture while studying or reading is crucial. Ensure that the distance between your eyes and the book is not less than 30cm. Avoid tilting your head while reading, as differing distances between the eyes and the book may lead to discrepancies in refraction.
5. Limit Sugar Intake
Excessive consumption of sugary foods can reduce calcium levels in the blood. A decrease in blood calcium concentration may contribute to the elongation of the eyeball. For each millimeter increase in the length of the eyeball, the degree of myopia may deepen by around 300 degrees.
6. Reduce Peripheral Hyperopic Defocus
Many studies suggest that peripheral hyperopic defocus promotes the development of myopia. Therefore, using products that reduce peripheral hyperopic defocus, such as orthokeratology lenses or specially designed lenses, may slow down myopia progression compared to wearing regular lenses.
With the advancement of modern technology, our eyes often face more pressure and challenges. However, by adopting proper eye habits and lifestyle adjustments, we can effectively slow down the progression of myopia. Therefore, let's start now, focus on eye health, cultivate good eye habits, and provide our eyes with the best protection and care.
