Myopia epidemic: there is no fatality

Soon all short-sighted? If this threat has been hanging over certain Asian cities for many years now, such as Shanghai, Hong Kong or Taiwan, where myopia, a disease which results in blurred vision from afar and clear near vision, can reach penetration rates of more than 90%, it is gradually spreading to other regions of the world.

To halt this development, the National Observatory of Myopia, made up of expert ophthalmologists and pediatricians, is campaigning via a vast awareness-raising operation to enlighten the French about a surprisingly little-known disease. According to projections, 5 billion people in the world could be struck by myopia by 2050. Time for action, as the observatory’s message invites us to do: “Let’s act together against myopia”.

The Western way of life in question

“It was long believed that this epidemic was confined to Asia, but it is now affecting Europe”, reports Dr. Thierry Bour, president of the National Union of Ophthalmologists of France (SNOF), partner of the campaign.

In France, 43% of adults aged 18 and over declare themselves myopic, according to the barometer of myopia carried out by the polling institute Ipsos, which questioned more than 3,500 people. But it is especially among young people that the numbers explode: “This disease, which affected about 20% of young people in the 1980s, now affects more than 40% of them and if nothing is done, this figure could rise to 60% in twenty or thirty years..”

The reasons for this increase are relatively well known. These causes are of two kinds, genetic and environmental. Myopia is in fact hereditary – a child’s risk of myopia is multiplied by two if one of his parents is nearsighted, by 3 to 8 if both parents are nearsighted – and its occurrence also depends on ethnic origin – this is how the Chinese are more affected than the Indians.

But genetic factors only account for 10% in cases of myopia. “The main cause is our way of lifeemphasizes Dr. Bour. Indoor work and time spent on screens take us away from the conditions that have long protected us from myopia, or that have in any case kept its incidence at a low and stable level.

Complications that can lead to blindness

Contrary to popular belief, myopia is not a trivial disease. And above all not a pathology, warns the president of the SNOF, “which boils down to a problem with glasses”. In addition to the permanent discomfort, in the event of high myopia (prohibited profession, discomfort throughout the day, etc.), it can lead to very serious complications in the long term. “Myopia is the 4th cause of blindness, especially after 60 years old, resumes Dr. Bour. It can also increase the risk of retinal detachment, cataracts and glaucoma, which can lead to visually difficult end of life.

However, according to the Ipsos barometer, more than 8 out of 10 people interviewed underestimate the impact of myopia, and particularly the fact that it can cause blindness. And even among subjects with myopia, 34% declare that they have not received information on the risks associated with the development of their visual impairment.

Two figures that show the need, even the urgency, to communicate around this pathology, against which the majority of French people (61%) think that there is nothing to be done. Even more if we add that they are, at the same time, 51% not to give a good definition of myopia, which most certainly explains the lack of vigilance, especially vis-à-vis children.

Less near vision and more outdoor activities

“Parents who see their child squinting to look away, staring at their screen to read or rubbing their eyes and/or exhibiting eye irritation, due to fatigue and/or dry eyes entailed by screen reading, should consider screening”, encourages Dr. Bour. The earlier the screening, the slower the development of myopia.

The Ipsos survey reveals that between the ages of 3 and 6, children spend an average of three hours on screens, a period that increases to seven hours from 11-12 years old. It is therefore important to put in place measures, if not to prevent, at least to slow down the progression of the disease – which also applies to adults.

“The ideal would be to take a break every twenty minutes, to look into the distance for at least twenty seconds to a minute, and above all not to hesitate to go out, because natural light is beneficial against myopia while reading up close , on screen, stimulates it on the contrary”advises the specialist.

But it is upstream that it is necessary to act: to reduce the risk of myopia in children, the observatory recommends encouraging them to spend as much time as possible outdoors, ideally at least two hours a day for an effective optimum protector. “In the end, it’s about rediscovering a normal life, with diversified activities, physical activity, games, walking or cycling to get around, etc.completes Dr. Bour.

Solutions with a braking effect

In addition to preventive means, there are now therapeutic options that act on myopia, once installed. “A few years ago, we did not really know what to do, hence probably the fatality expressed by the French people questioned in the Ipsos survey. But that’s not the case anymore.”rejoices our interlocutor.

There are eye drops based on diluted atropine, brake glasses, with special lenses, or even orthokeratology – which consists of wearing rigid lenses at night. So many solutions that aim to maintain or even reduce the development of myopia. According to studies, brake glasses would thus reduce the progression of the disease by at least 60%. But this option is still quite confidential: only a few thousand people are equipped. And, for the moment, the remaining charge is relatively high.

In any case, believes Dr. Bour, we must continue work on these devices to gradually assess their consequences and their effectiveness, and also see if their association (eye drops and glasses, for example) could not further increase this braking effect. “The idea is to reduce the potential complications of myopia by 40%”, objective Dr. Thierry Bour. Do you still need to get tested? Think about it.