Does Myopia Increase With Age?

It is very evident that Myopia increase with age. The main reason behind it can be degradation of the anterior length of the ciliary muscles of our eyes. Ciliary muscles perform the function of the shaping of the lens in the eye, which helps the eye to gain proper focus. Another essential feature of the ciliary muscles is that these muscles help in regulating the flow of aqueous humour in the eye.

Myopia :

Myopia, generally referred to as short-sightedness and nearsightedness, is an eye disorder where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. It causes distant objects to appear blurry while close objects appear normal. General symptoms may include mild headaches and eye strain. Severe nearsightedness can be present due to retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma, etc.

According to Wikipedia, Myopia is the most common eye problem among the people and is estimated to affect 1.5 billion people (22% of the population of the whole world). Statistics show how rates vary significantly in different parts of the world. Rates among adults are between 15% to 49%. Statistics are similar in both males and females. Among children, it affects 1% of rural Nepalese, 4% of South Africans, 12% of Americans, and 37% in some large Chinese cities. Rates have increased since the early 1960s. Uncorrected Myopia is one of the most common causes of vision impairment globally, along with cataracts, macular degeneration, and vitamin A deficiency.

Cause of Myopia

There is no single factor responsible for Myopia. It happens due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. So, let's know about the factors responsible for Myopia.

Genetics

A risk for Myopia is that it can be inherited from one's parents. Studies on genetic linkage have identified 18 possible loci on 15 different chromosomes that are said to be associated with Myopia. Still, none of these loci is part of the candidate genes that is responsible for Myopia. Instead of a simple one-gene locus controlling the onset of Myopia, a complex interaction of many mutated proteins acting in concert may be the cause. Defects in the control of these structural proteins might be the actual cause of Myopia.

Environmental factors

Major environmental factors that contribute to the risk of nearsightedness include near work, increased year of education, insufficient light exposure, and lack of exercise and physical activity.

One theory suggests that a lack of normal visual stimuli causes abnormal development of the eyeball. Nowadays, people spend most of their time indoors without going out less, in dimly or fluorescently lit rooms, which may contribute to the development of Myopia.

Signs and symptoms

An individual affected by Myopia can see clearly up to a certain distance, which is known as a 'far point,' but everything after 'far point' seems to be blurry. If the problem of Myopia is not addressed on time, even general reading can be affected, and, in some cases, it becomes almost impossible to read; if you encounter a problem like this, you should urgently seek medical guidance. Upon routine examination of the eyes, the vast majority of Myopic eyes appear structurally identical to non-
myopic eyes.

Diagnosis

According to Wikipedia, diagnosis of Myopia is generally performed by an eye care professional, usually an optometrist or ophthalmologist at a lab. During a refraction, an Autorefractor or Retinoscope comes into play to give an initial objective assessment of the refractive status of each eye. Then a Phoropter is used to refine the patient's eyeglass prescription subjectively.

Treatment

Our eye has ciliary muscles which control the contraction and expansion of the eye lens and helps in the focusing of the vision. People spend a significant amount of time on their mobile phones and other gadgets which cause strain on the eye. This results in more contraction of the lens than the necessary.

Myopia, in particular, is not a disease or some kind damage to your eyes, if you look into it, it's just temporary contraction of the lens which does not return until it's standard shape when expanded.

The most common treatment of Myopia is using spectacles according to your eye, or you can use contact lenses, it all varies from person to person.

Corrective surgeries like LASIK and PRK exist which help a patient to overcome the extreme condition of Myopia

Does Myopia Increase With Age?