Are you nearsighted? Probably.
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common condition where the eye adjusts itself to make it easier to see up close. Over time, this tends to make distance vision blurry. Management of this condition is the focus, no pun intended, at Sage Creek Eye Centre.
“We’re seeing this condition start to creep up with younger and younger ages due to our setting,” says Doctor Kelly Enns, owner and optometrist at Sage Creek Eye Centre. “Being on tablets and cell phones, reading a ton, and indoor time in general.”
Enns notes that the most common hints in adult patients are issues with nighttime driving and facial recognition from a distance. As for genetic predisposition, having a family history of nearsightedness doubles your own chance of being nearsighted. While it is possible to slow the progression of nearsightedness, it is very unlikely to stop it completely.
So it’s less a question of if… and more a question of when.
“It depends on the age of the patient,” states Doctor Enns. “Your eyes grow faster at younger ages. So the sooner we start to do something to slow down the progression, the better the results.”
While the increase of screen time across the nation plays a large part, Doctor Enns takes a moment to acknowledge the rise in blue light lenses.
“It’s kind of a mixed bag. I don’t think that there’s a link between blue light exposure and nearsightedness in its own terms,” she says. “If it makes you feel more comfortable, if your eyes are less fatigued or strained, then yeah, go for it. But in terms of preventing nearsightedness or cataracts or some kind of disease, I do not make that claim at all.”
As prescriptions get stronger, there are physical changes happening within the body, too.
“The problem with nearsightedness is that the eyeball is growing larger at a faster than normal rate. Our eyes are not designed to be as big as they’re getting, so this causes a lot of strain and stretching to all of the eye’s structures, particularly to the retina.”
Nearsighted people are much more likely to get retinal tears, retinal detachments, glaucoma, and even early cataracts. At worst, these things can lead to blindness. Sage Creek Eye Centre has tailored their clinic to focus on myopia, and this is reflected in what’s included in their standard appointments.
“So when you come in for the routine exam, we do the axial length measurement and some education for kids and parents. We measure the length of the eyeball, and then see if it’s within the normal range for that age. We only have so much time in a routine eye exam, so we do have separate visits that we will bring people back for if they’re interested in looking at more of the myopia management options.”
Sage Creek Eye Centre has four management options, and all can be tailed to the patient and their lifestyle.
“The big kicker is we’ve got to delay the onset, and that means that you have to get in, or get in with your kid, before you see symptoms.”
Doctor Enns shares that the current recommendations from the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) are for children to have their first eye exam around the age of six months, once before beginning kindergarten, and then yearly throughout their school career. She also advises parents not to wait until their child shows symptoms.
“Kids adapt very well, and their worlds are usually within their arm’s reach- they’re playing video games, they’re watching TV in a room that’s ten feet long.” She adds, “You wouldn’t notice anything until they’re outside saying that they can’t see who that is across the soccer field.”
Going forward, Doctor Enns hopes to be seeing many new faces at her clinic.
“The important thing I want people to know is that, at this point, everyone is at risk. It’s not just those with a family history. It’s every kid nowadays- they’re essentially going to become nearsighted until proven otherwise. And there is something you can do to address it now.”
To book an appointment, call 204-ALL-EYES (204-255-3937), or visit their new website.
