Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, affects about 13 million people in the U.S. With this condition, the eyeball is elongated rather than circular in shape. This causes light entering the eye to behave in a way that produces blurry vision in the distance. While there is a proven genetic predisposition to myopia, in some cases, it may be preventable or diminished. In Wellington, FL, myopia can be treated at your eye doctor’s office.
Lifestyle Factors That Can Cause Myopia
Whether or not a person is genetically predisposed to myopia, certain lifestyle behaviors can make it more likely for a child to develop nearsightedness. These include:
Excessive Screen Time
Studies are being conducted to evaluate the correlation between screen time and myopia. While results are currently mixed, there’s enough evidence to suggest that limiting a child’s screen time may reduce the risk of nearsightedness.
Poor Reading Light
When a child is reading or working in low light conditions, the book, workbook, or drawing and/or coloring materials must be held closer in order to see. Because a child’s physical eyes are still developing, this could result in the eyeball growing in a misshapen shape, which would result in myopia.
Less Outdoor Time
In another study, it was found that children who spent less than an hour each day outside were five times more likely to develop myopia. This correlation is likely due to two reasons: One, physical exercise helps with proper eye growth and development; Two, being outdoors requires distance vision and exercises different muscle groups in the eye.
Being Bottle-fed
Babies who aren’t breastfed are twice as likely to be nearsighted later on in life. It’s been determined that the abundance of nutrients in breast milk contributes to avoiding myopia.
If myopia runs in your family, it might be beneficial to avoid these known risk factors so that your child might not have to deal with being nearsighted. For more information about myopia, contact your eye doctor in Wellington, FL, today.