If myopia is partly hereditary, does it still help to practise
good eye care habits?
A.
As the current research evidence shows that an important environmental
factor is near work, it is important for the children to take vision breaks
to limit the duration of continuous near work and to practise good eye care
habits. This may help to delay the early onset of myopia in young children.
The severity of myopia is closely related to the age of onset. That is,
if an individual who has myopia at a young age, there is a greater likelihood
that the myopia will be more severe as he or she grows older.
Can watching television for long periods cause myopia?
A.
It has not been proven yet that television watching has an effect on
myopia. However, it is important to advise children to watch television
from a distance of at least two to three metres.
Is it important to ensure that there is adequate lighting in the room
during near work activities?
A.
Although the causal factors for myopia are not clearly known yet, parents
and teachers should always ensure that there is adequate lighting in areas
or rooms allocated for near work activities such as reading, writing and
using a computer.
Avoid excessive glare from shining onto the children's books or face when
reading. Ensure that they hold their books about 30 cm away from their eyes
and sit upright on a comfortable chair.
When using the computer, adjust the screen to reduce glare. Glare can result
from the reflections of other sources of light. The computer screen should
be placed about 50cm from the eyes.
Presently, eye exercises have not been proven to prevent myopia. The
eye exercise that was introduced in schools, originates from China and is
based on acupressure points. It is believed to relieve eye strain and as
an art of relaxation. There are no reported harmful effects of the eye exercises.
Can myopia be prevented by participating in more outdoor activities?
A.
It is not proven whether outdoor activities can prevent myopia or delay
myopia progression. There is a trend of increasing prevalence of myopia
among young children and researchers have noted that children spend less
time on outdoor activities. Children are encouraged to participate in outdoor
activities like sports as these activities usually do not involve near work.
Does eating foods rich in Vitamin A help to prevent myopia?
A.
Vitamin A deficiency will cause night blindness and not myopia.
It is important, however, to encourage children to eat a balanced diet and
lead a healthy lifestyle.
"HPB is committed to helping Singaporeans attain optimal health through our health promotion and disease prevention programmes. HPB's website, 'HPB Online' offers the latest information about healthy living, health events and links you to a healthy lifestyle."
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