Eye health – myopia among children: the rare look into the distance

Decades ago, a “glasses queue” was still something exotic on the schoolyard. In the meantime, visual aids of all kinds have long been part of everyday family life: by the end of primary school, around 15 percent of all children are short -sighted in this country. Experts fear that the number continues to increase in the face of intensive smartphone use. In other regions of the world, myopia is already on the rise. According to German ophthalmological society, the medical-scientific specialist society for ophthalmology, over 80 percent of all young people are short-sighted in some Asian metropolises. This is particularly fatal because strong myopia increases the risk of serious eye diseases such as glaucoma. Parents do not have to stand by. “Illopiness in children cannot be stopped, but in most cases brakes,” says optician and optometryist Stephan Degle from the Kuratorium Association. There are a number of options for this – but not all of them are recommended.

In addition to the genes, whether a child becomes short -sighted depends on the viewing habits. On the old basic rule that too much read the eyes “spoils”, it is actually a bit tuned – however, digital devices are worse than books, especially smartphones. “Actually, our visual system is geared towards the distance,” says ophthalmologist Norbert Pfeiffer, board member of the Eye Foundation. For Stone Age people, it was essential to be able to see well at long distances.

Close view means work

In order to focus on objects nearby, the muscle on which the lens is hung together must pull together so that the lens takes on a spherical shape. This makes the image that is close to the eye on the retina. “This is associated with work. To make it easier, the eye adapts over time and grows in length, «says Pfeiffer. Such an adaptation can lead to young adulthood. It makes it easier to see nearby, but the eye can no longer focus on things in the distance – so there is a short -sightedness. “The more close work you do, the stronger it affects.” By that, Pfeiffer means all distances under five meters. Smartphones are particularly fatal because the eye has to focus on a very small distance.

“Actually, our visual system is geared towards the distance.”

Norbert Pfeiffer Ophthalmologist

A current journal published in the journal “Jama Network Open” MetastudyThe 45 studies included showed that the risk of myopia in children increases dose -dependent as soon as they spend more than an hour a day on the screen. From four or more hours a day, the curve flattens again. In order to slow down this development, Pfeiffer advises two things: limiting the screen time of children and ensuring that they spend as much time outdoors as possible – “at least two hours a day”. It is unclear why it counteracts myopicity when children play outside: “This is probably because you are letting you wander into the distance,” says Pfeiffer. However, dopamine can also play a role, which is distributed by light. “You know that dopamine limits the growth of the eyeball.”

In addition to these simple behavioral measures, there are medication as well as special glasses and contact lenses that may inhibit the growth of length of the eyeball. Thus, drops with a strongly diluted atropine, the poison of the Tollkirsche, are supposed to slow down the right -wing awareness – although the mechanism of action is not entirely clear. “The remedy only brings something as long as you use it,” says Pfeiffer. “As soon as you take it off or take it irregularly, the eye catches up again.” In addition, the application can be uncomfortable for children: the eyes become sensitive to light, and you can also see blurred nearby. Allergies can also arise.

Different correction options

In addition, there are special glasses on the market that are supposed to correct myopia and at the same time counteract their progress. For example, there are multi-segment glasses in which the central zone ensures sharp vision in the distance. At the same time, small lenses in the glass cause the incident light to be bundled in front of the retina and a second level is created. This should cause the length of the length to not be stimulated. Multifocal contact lenses work according to a similar principle, which are offered in different versions. The Cochrane research network comes in a current Metastudy To the conclusion that the benefit of these solutions is still uncertain. Hard orthokeratology contact lenses, which are only worn at night, would have been the most effective in short time studies. You model the cornea during this time so that short -sighted children can see sharply during the day without visual aid. In the long term, the length growth of the eyeball can be slowed down. “This gives very good effects,” says Degle. However, the question is whether parents and children are willing to get involved. It is important to pay attention to hygiene and care. Otherwise, according to information from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in the healthcare system, inflammation can occur – apart from that, the lenses could be uncomfortable and irritate the eyes.

Not to recommend all treatments

After all, it is agreed in the professional world that a so -called sub -correction does not make sense: In the past, one believed that children would benefit from glasses that do not completely compare their myopia (myopia), but a little too little. According to Degle, this is “complete nonsense”. As you now know, the measure promotes myopia.

Degle also advises against the red light therapy, in which the children’s eyes are irradiated with red laser light. The approach had made a name for itself after a Chinese Study In children who had been irradiated twice a day for a few minutes, a slowdown of myopia had determined. A new investigation, the results of which in April in the journal “Jama Ophthalmology” published However, it has shown that long -term application may damage the retina. “I would not recommend the radiation at the current time,” emphasizes Degle.

In general, in his view, there is no equally suitable solution, since each case is different and makes a different procedure necessary. »First of all, a careful examination and assessment is crucial what kind of myopia it is. Only then can you say which solutions can be considered. ”Sometimes combined measures also offer to slow the right -wing short -sightedness. The most common in Germany is the “school myopia”, which starts around the age of eight-but sometimes it only develops in adolescence, i.e. from the age of 14. After all, it is usually the end of 20: afterwards, myopia usually no longer increases.