Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : November 19, 2022 2:56 PM IST
Myopia or nearsightedness is on the rise, particularly among children. This common vision condition occurs when the eyes are unable to bend or refract light rays correctly (light focuses in front of the retina, instead of on the retina). This refractive error causes distant objects appear blurry. Some babies may be born with this condition, which is known as congenital myopia. Read on to know the causes of congenital myopia and how it is treated.
Dr Jitendra Jethani, Paediatric Ophthalmologist at Baroda Children Eye Care & Squint Clinic, says, "A short ocular anterior-posterior axis causes the majority of newborns to be farsighted at birth (16 18 mm).
He continues, "A baby's hypermetropia decreases as they grow as their eye bulb expands, and on occasion, it could even turn into myopia in some situations. If both of a child's parents are nearsighted, myopia is more likely to develop in the child. Congenital myopia may be linked to premature birth, whether it is brought on by any pathologic processes or is a hereditary condition. It should be noted that minor fundus alterations are a common feature of congenital myopia.
Dr Jethani, who is also Medical Advisor for Entod Pharmaceuticals, informs that while congenital myopia often stays very steady, it can occasionally progress.
Talking about the treatment of the condition, he says, "Children with congenital myopia unquestionably require ocular treatment in addition to ongoing dynamic surveillance. To stop amblyopia as soon as feasible, it is crucial to prescribing optical vision correction together with additional preventative measures."
"Infants who are preterm (born early) or who weigh less than 3 pounds at birth may develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye condition. When aberrant blood vessels develop in the retina, ROP occurs (the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye). Some infants with ROP have minor cases and recover on their own. However, some infants require medical attention to preserve their vision and fend off blindness," he adds.
Further, Dr Jethani points out that most newborns occasionally have strabismus, or mismatched eyes, from birth to about four months of age. This inward crossing or outward drifting action of the eyes during this time is typical and expected. Your baby's physician will examine your child's eyes at routine checks and let you know whether the strabismus is abnormal.
There are several tools and techniques used to treat myopia. Dr Jethani want you to know that the goal of therapy for childhood myopia is to stop or slow down the condition's progression and avoid problems, not to eliminate or lessen the degree of myopia.
Treatments to stop the progression of myopia include:
Entod Pharmaceuticals has got the approval to carry out phase 3 trials across India for its 0.05 per cent low-dose atropine eye drops from the DCGI which could be an effective therapeutic strategy to slow down myopia progression in children.
Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO, Entod Pharmaceuticals, tells The HealthSite that the company aims to be the first in the world to commercialize 0.05 per cent low-dose atropine eye drops in India with proper clinical backing.
He says, "We already have a 0.01 per cent version of low-dose atropine eye drops (MYATRO) in the market which has given the therapeutic management of myopia a good start."
"As I said, work is being done to come up with pharmacological solutions that can aid in the slowing down of myopia progression. Although Orthokeratology has long been used as a temporary treatment for existing myopia in adults, low-dose atropine can prove to be a useful tool to pharmacologically slow down the progression of myopia in children. Research has also driven the development of new types of spectacles and contact lenses to slow myopia by addressing the refractive disparity between the macula and periphery," he adds.
According to Nikkhil K Masurkar, the growing incidence of myopia is related to changes in children's behaviour, especially how little time they spend outdoors, often staring at screens indoors instead of enjoying activities illuminated by daylight.
He asserts, "Gone are the days when most children played outside between the end of the school day and suppertime. And the devastating pandemic has made matters worse."
Implementation of anti-myopia strategies like awareness campaigns and activities are being conducted across different parts of the country to raise awareness on the subject and encourage parents to get their kids eye checked on a regular basis. The awareness campaigns are also aimed towards community participation and school based outdoor programs. Other solutions hinge on more research, studies and technological advances.
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