Short sightedness is Malaysia’s growing problem. In 2017, new spectacle shops increase tremendously at popular places in Malaysia to cater to the demand for eye glasses.
Short sightedness although common, is regarded as a shocking news on top of blurred vision, but why? That’s because what comes next will change your appearance forever! (To girls especially)
Short Sighted although stereotyped as being Nerdy / Computer Geek / Study too much, is now not the case unlike before; thankfully glasses is now considered part of the fashion.
Shortsighted Tip – What to do when I have myopia?
Glasses, one of humanity’s greatest inventions, allowing those with eyesight problem to have a crystal clear vision. In recent years, glasses are actually becoming one of the fashion accessory, thanks to talented eyewear designers. But still, who wouldn’t want a perfect vision?
One of the most common vision impairment will be short-sightedness a.k.a myopia or in Malay language – rabun dekat – (where you can’t see objects in the far clearly). It usually starts early in a person’s life, so it will be best to take preventive actions from young. So let us take a look at some of the ways that prevent or slow down short-sightedness.
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Causes of short sightedness
Shortsighted tip : Have some good reading habits
Let’s start with the obvious, as short sightedness is often linked with doing extensive close visual activities, such as reading, it is best to start by having some good reading habits. This is not limited to books and reading materials only, but also includes the TV, mobile phones, and computer. Here are some good reading guidelines that people of any age should start practicing:
- Your reading material should be at least 30cm away from your eyes.
- Sit in an upright position while reading, not lying down (though comfy).
- Your TV should be at least 2 meters away.
- Your computer screen should be at least 50cm away.
- Make sure your room is well-lit for these activities (reading, watching TV, using computer).
- Rest your eyes by looking away and focus on far-distance objects every 30 minutes.
- You should not rub your eyes frequently.
Engage in more outdoor activities
Listen to your mom when she yells “go out and play!”, really. Research like this actually suggest that, by increasing the time you spend outdoors, you can actually be preventing short sightedness along the way. As to the exact reasons why being outdoor prevents the development of myopia, scientist are yet to be sure, but there are some theories suggesting that:
- Being outdoor increases the chance of you looking at distance objects, hence relaxing the eye muscles.
- Being outdoor triggers the release of a chemical in your retina called dopamine, which inhibits the growth of your eyeball (short-sightedness is because your eyeball is too long people!)
Shortsighted Stages – Early detection
It is always best to detect a condition early and take preventive actions for it, same goes for short sightedness. The condition usually becomes apparent during school-age, so it is important for parents to check their child’s eyesight frequently. For me, I came to know I have myopia at the age of 11 when I can’t see the McDonald’s menu clearly, sad. Well, back on topic, if you discover the problem early enough, your child’s myopia might be well controlled and does not get worse. A progressive lens can help to maintain the myopia; it’s commonly known as myopia control lens.
Nutrition
Although there are no evidence that good nutrient intake helps prevent short-sightedness 100%, but there are foods that will boost your overall eye health.
- Lutein and Zeaxanthin: which aids in absorbing harmful sunlight and blue light. These nutrients can be found in dark leafy greens like spinach.
- Magnesium: helps to ease the muscle in our eyes and also repairing protein. It can be obtained from peanuts, almonds, avocados, and whole wheat bread.
- Vitamin D: helps protect and boost corneal health, as well as lower eye inflammation and boost visual sharpness. Tuna, eggs, and cheese are a good source for it.
- Vitamin C: a powerful antioxidant much needed by our eyes. The cornea of our eyes also contains collagen, which is what vitamin C is known for boosting. Food rich in vitamin C are like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and broccoli.
So now you know, the ways to prevent short-sightedness. Start doing it for yourself, your child, or the people around you. Nothing beats having a good eyesight without having to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. After all, if you still wish to make glasses a part of your OOTD, you can always go on and buy a pair of trendy frames, the best of both worlds, I guess.
