Do you know what the “three axes” for preventing and controlling myopia in children are?

Author: Yu Gang, former chief physician of Beijing Children's Hospital

Reviewer: Tian Bei, Chief Physician, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University

So far, there are three most critical methods for preventing and controlling myopia in children, which are recognized by ophthalmologists all over the world:

First, orthokeratology lenses;

second, 0.01% atropine;

Third, outdoor sports.

These three methods of preventing and controlling myopia in children are called the "three axes".

1. How do orthokeratology lenses prevent and treat myopia? What should I pay attention to when wearing them?

Orthokeratology lenses can be used to correct myopia and slow down the increase in myopia. The efficacy is about 70%, but it is not 100% effective.

Our country stipulates that children aged 8 and above can wear orthokeratology lenses, but those under 8 cannot wear them, but it also depends on the specific circumstances.

Orthokeratology lenses have a specific time and validity period. Orthokeratology lenses can be worn when myopia reaches 75 degrees to control the slow growth of myopia or not, thus achieving the purpose of curing myopia. If myopia reaches 400 degrees, you can only wear them for one or two years. If myopia exceeds 500 degrees, wearing them will be useless. Orthokeratology lenses are helpful for myopia below 500 degrees.

Wearing orthokeratology lenses before going to bed at night will reshape the cornea, that is, the epithelial cells will migrate, and your vision may reach 1.0 when you wake up the next day. After seeing things clearly, myopia will not develop or develop slowly. However, orthokeratology lenses are time-limited and may only work for 10 hours, so you need to wear them continuously, every night.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

How long do you need to wear orthokeratology lenses? You can put a stop to myopia when it grows fastest, such as between 8 and 15 years old. It is enough to wear orthokeratology lenses during this period. Many adults are still wearing orthokeratology lenses because they are removable and comfortable, and the vision is very good the next day after wearing them.

Many parents are worried about whether wearing orthokeratology lenses every day and night will have any effect on their children's eyes. There is no problem with wearing them properly. First, you need to have an eye examination before wearing orthokeratology lenses, and you can only wear them if you meet the wearing conditions; second, you are not allowed to wear them if you have eye diseases; third, you need to have a follow-up examination after wearing them.

In addition, there is another prerequisite for wearing orthokeratology lenses: the cornea cannot be too sharp or too flat, and there are certain requirements for the corneal curvature. Therefore, the state stipulates that orthokeratology lenses must be worn in medical institutions. Optical shops are not allowed to wear orthokeratology lenses. It is a medical product, and the state regulations are very strict. Orthokeratology lenses must be worn under the guidance of a doctor.

Before fitting orthokeratology lenses, you need to try them out because every child’s cornea is different. By trying them out you can find out: first, whether it is effective; second, which one is more effective; and third, whether supervision is effective.

The reason why most children cannot wear orthokeratology lenses is not because they are not suitable, but because they are uncomfortable. At present, the prices of orthokeratology lenses vary greatly, from 8,800 yuan for the cheapest to 15,000 yuan for the most expensive. Some parents want to wear the most expensive ones, while others want to wear the cheapest ones. What should we do? We use the double-blind method to make the selection. When wearing the lenses, we do not tell the price. After wearing them, we ask the children to evaluate whether the right eye or the left eye has a better effect. We choose which orthokeratology lens to wear based on the effect rather than the price. The most expensive is not the best, but the most suitable is the best.

2. How does atropine prevent and treat myopia?

Experts from the National University of Singapore found that 0.01% atropine eye drops could control children's myopia, so they published an article in the world's most famous ophthalmology journal, called "Ophthalmology".

Nowadays, 0.01% atropine is considered to be very effective in controlling myopia. Of course, the efficiency is only about 70%, and the remaining 30% is ineffective and needs other methods.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

3. Why can outdoor sports prevent and control myopia in children?

Australian experts discovered that outdoor sports can prevent and treat myopia. They conducted a statistical observation and found that the children in two classes were all top students. The children in class one never liked to go outdoors, while the children in class two loved to go outdoors. Three years later, they found that the incidence of myopia in class one was 30%, 40% or even 50% higher than that in class two.

After this scientific research result was announced, it attracted the attention of ophthalmologists all over the world. After testing, they found that the results were very similar, so they concluded that outdoor sports can prevent and control myopia and slow down the onset of myopia.

Figure 3 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

There are standards for outdoor sports. The real explanation of outdoor sports should be basking in the sun outdoors. There are very few children in Tibet with myopia. The Tibetan region has high radiation and high ultraviolet rays, so children rarely have myopia.

So, how long is daily outdoor exercise effective?

Two hours. Our ophthalmologists have confirmed through clinical observation that one hour and two hours of outdoor exercise have similar results, so it is now recommended that children exercise outdoors for one hour every day, which can effectively prevent and control myopia.