Lilith Sadil, 12, was examined at the Myopia Control Center at the University of California because her mother brought her in to check out a new treatment that could potentially make a difference. Eye specialists are offering young patients special contact lenses worn overnight that correct vision for the next day.
Myopia is a pretty serious issue, and it’s only getting worse. “More than 40 percent of Americans are nearsighted, a 16 percent increase since the 1970s,” The New York Times reports. “People with so-called high myopia — generally, blurry vision beyond about five inches — face an increased likelihood of developing cataracts and glaucoma, are at higher risk for retinal detachments that can result in blindness.”
But this isn’t just because we are gradually changing based on our genes.
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“It can’t be entirely genetic, because genes don’t change that fast,” said Susan Vitale, an epidemiologist at the National Institutes of Health who studies myopia. “It’s probably something that’s environmental, or a combination of genetic and environmental factors.”
What are these factors? According to a recent study, the level of education someone has could be a factor in their chances of having myopia. This is due to increased “near work” spent in front of computer screens and tablets. Other studies show that kids who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop high myopia.
The contact lenses design has been around since the 1940s, but there is a need for resurgence, even though it’s still debatable.
Myopia occurs when the eyeball elongates. Ortho-k contact lenses apply pressure to the cornea, flattening it. After wearing the lenses all night, patients have clear vision that lasts for one full day, after which the cornea returns to its natural shape.
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The reason why this is focused on kids is because the lenses are preventative in nature, and myopia tends not to progress after someone reaches their 20s. The research and results behind this ortho-k treatment is not entirely sound, but it is an interesting concept when a lot of people are glued to screens most of the day.