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Myopia: What is it and How Can You Prevent it?

We’ve all had that experience of squinting to see something far away clearly. That’s myopia, or nearsightedness, a common vision problem that affects millions of people worldwide. But what exactly is myopia, and what can you do to prevent it? Let’s break it down.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is a refractive error, which means that the eyes aren’t able to focus light properly onto the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye). This causes distant objects to appear blurred or fuzzy, while close-up objects remain clear.

Imagine looking through a camera lens that’s not quite focused correctly – that’s what it’s like for someone with myopia. The degree of myopia can vary from mild to severe, and it often starts in childhood and progresses as you grow older.

Causes of Myopia

So, what causes myopia? Here are some of the main factors:

  1. Genetics: If your parents or siblings have myopia, you’re more likely to develop it too. It’s often hereditary.
  2. Too much close-up work: Spending long periods reading, using digital devices, or doing close-up activities can strain your eyes and contribute to myopia development.
  3. Lack of outdoor time: Studies show that spending more time outdoors, especially during childhood, can help reduce the risk of developing myopia.

Symptoms of Myopia

How do you know if you or your child might have myopia? Here are some common signs to look out for:

  • Squinting or partially closing the eyes to see better in the distance
  • Sitting closer to the TV, computer, or board at school
  • Frequent eye strain, headaches, or fatigue after visual activities
  • Holding books or devices very close to the face
figure1: Squinting or partially closing the eyes to see better in the distance
figure2: Sitting closer to the TV, computer, or board at school

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to schedule an eye exam with an optometrist.

Preventing and Managing Myopia

While there’s no cure for myopia, there are several things you can do to help prevent or slow its progression:

  1. Encourage outdoor time: Make sure your kids spend plenty of time playing and being active outdoors. Aim for at least 1-2 hours per day.
  2. Take breaks: When doing close-up work, remember to take frequent breaks and look into the distance to reduce eye strain.
  3. Maintain proper lighting and posture: Ensure good lighting and correct posture when reading or using digital devices to minimize eye strain.
  4. Consider specialized treatments: Your optometrist may recommend treatments like atropine eye drops or orthokeratology (special contact lenses) to slow myopia progression in children.
  5. Wear prescribed corrective lenses: If you or your child is diagnosed with myopia, wearing glasses or contact lenses as prescribed can help improve distance vision and reduce eye strain.
figure3: Children wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses to improve distance vision and reduce eye strain.

Remember, myopia is a common condition, but it’s important to manage it properly to protect your vision and prevent further complications. Regular eye exams and following your optometrist’s recommendations are key to maintaining healthy eyes.

Seeing Clearly: Daily Habits for Maintaining Perfect Vision

In today’s fast-paced world, where screens dominate our lives, maintaining perfect vision requires more than just regular eye check-ups. It’s about integrating daily habits that support eye health.

Let’s explore some everyday practices that can keep your vision sharp and your eyes healthy.

Early Bird Gets the Worm: Start young! Good vision habits begin early. For kids, that means less screen time and more green-time – yep, get them playing outside.

Food for Sight: Enhance your vision with foods rich in Vitamin A, C, and E, and minerals like zinc. Carrots, leafy greens, and fish are not just good for your body but are like a spa treatment for your eyes.

The Art of Blinking: Computers and gadgets are sticky for the eyes. Remember to blink often to keep them moist and happy. Dry eyes are grumpy eyes!

Sunglasses are Your BFF: UV rays are no joke. Your eyes need protection just like your skin. A good pair of sunglasses is a must, even on cloudy days.

Yearly Check-Ups: Just like your birthday, make eye exams a yearly ritual. EyeChamp’s experts can catch issues early, ensuring your vision stays sharp as a hawk’s.

Conclusion:

Your eyes are your personal cameras, capturing life’s moments in real-time. Treat them right, and they’ll reward you with decades of clear, beautiful vision. And if you ever need help, accessories, or just want to chat about your eye health, EyeChamp is here for you.

Understanding the Impact of Digital Screens on Eye Health

In our digitally-dominated world, screens have become a steadfast component of our daily lives. From the moment we wake up to when we close our eyes at night, digital devices are omnipresent. While these technological marvels have revolutionized the way we work, communicate, and relax, they also pose challenges to our eye health. Let’s delve into how digital screens affect our eyes and what we can do to protect our vision.

The Blue Light Effect:

Digital screens emit blue light, a high-energy visible light that can penetrate the eyes’ natural filters and reach the retina. Overexposure to blue light, especially after sunset, can disrupt our circadian rhythm, leading to sleep disturbances. Additionally, prolonged screen time can lead to digital eye strain, causing symptoms like dry eyes, irritation, blurred vision, and headaches.

The 20-20-20 Rule:

One simple yet effective method to reduce digital eye strain is the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away. This practice helps relax the ciliary muscles in the eyes and can prevent fatigue.

Adjusting Screen Settings:

Adjust the brightness and contrast of your screen to a comfortable level to reduce eye strain. Many devices now offer a ‘night mode’ that shifts the colors of the display to the warmer end of the spectrum, reducing blue light exposure during the evening hours.

Protective Eyewear:

Optical shops like EyeChamp offer specialized lenses designed to filter out blue light. These lenses can be a boon for both prescription eyeglass wearers and non-prescription users who spend substantial time in front of screens.

Regular Eye Exams:

Regular comprehensive eye exams are crucial. They are not only important for updating prescriptions but also for detecting early signs of digital eye strain and other computer vision syndrome symptoms.

Conclusion:

As we navigate through an increasingly digital landscape, taking proactive steps to safeguard our eye health is essential. Employing strategies like the 20-20-20 rule, customizing digital device settings, using protective eyewear, and scheduling regular eye exams with EyeChamp can help mitigate the impact of digital screens on our eyes. Remember, taking care of your eyes today will ensure a clearer, brighter tomorrow.

Manage Digital Eye Strain from Prolonged Exposure to Blue Light with our ZEISS BlueGuard Lenses

We are now part of the ‘phygital era’ where the lines between physical and digital living have interlaced to enhance convenience and connectivity. Gone are the days when mobile phones were used just for texts, calls, or the occasional game of Snake; Mobile phones are now our wallets, our communication tool, our entertainment source, and our lifeline in looking busy to avoid awkward social interactions. Yet, many are claiming that these near and frequent interactions with digital devices are causing harm and aggravating eyestrain. How?

Let’s take a look at blue light.

Blue light, also known as high energy visible (HEV) light, falls within the visible light spectrum of wavelengths between 400-500nm. It can be additionally categorized into higher energy blue light (400-455nm) where it is deemed to be potentially harmful1, and lower energy blue light (about 460-500nm), which is important in the development of our eyes as well as our general well-being2. (figure 1)

Figure 1: Visible light spectrum and blue light differentiation

While our natural- and largest- source of blue light is from the Sun, we are also exposed to artificial blue light that is emitted from digital devices such as televisions, laptops, mobile devices, and even the fluorescent lights and LEDs that light up our nights!

That said, artificial blue light is emitted differently from our digital devices (figure 2a) compared to natural blue light from the Sun (figure 2b) and peaks around the blue light hazard peak of 435-440nm3,4.

Figure 2a. Artificial blue light emitted from digital devices4
Figure 2b. Natural blue light emitted from the Sun4

Ongoing research has shown that certain wavelengths of blue light are potentially harmful to our eyes although more is needed for conclusive findings, and because blue light is prone to light scattering, it tends to cause glare and visual discomfort that contributes to digital eye strain (DES).

DES refers to a combination of eye and vision problems that are associated with the use of computers and other electronical displays, and some common symptoms include glare, dazzle, uncomfortable vision, pain in or around the eyes, dryness, and eye fatigue5.

There is therefore an increasing trend in people opting for lenses that protect their eyes from blue light to get relief from DES. However, not all blue light blocking lenses are created equal.

Be assured of blue light blocking lenses that follow sound science and international standards.


ZEISS BlueGuard lenses block up to 40% of potentially harmful blue light (400-455nm), following the ISO-defined limit of maximum blue light phototoxicity to the retinal pigmented epithelial cells1, while allowing beneficial blue light to pass through. Additionally, it provides full UV protection of up to 400nm, in accordance with the definition of UV radiation set by the World Health Organization6.

With the increase of video calls and conferences, more people are also concerned with the reflections of the lenses that are captured by their phones and webcams. This typically occurs with blue light blocking lenses that are layered with a lens coating designed to reflect blue light away.

ZEISS BlueGuard lenses reduce these disturbing blue light reflections by up to 50% as its material absorbs blue light rather than reflect it away, increasing both vision clarity and visibility of your eyes- the difference can be seen easily below (figure 3).

Figure 3. Difference in blue light reflection between blue light blocking coating and material

Equally important to the protection against UV and potentially harmful blue light is the ZEISS BlueGuard lens’ ability to address DES and enable increased overall clarity and comfort, especially when using digital devices. With our eyes being busier than ever, your lenses should complement and enhance your visual performance.

Contact us and speak to an eye care professional to find out more on how you can enjoy the ultimate blue light protection and less reflection with ZEISS BlueGuard lenses.