The most important thing in myopia prevention and control is to control the growth of the eye axis. The length of the axial eye is more than that1 mm, which means progression in the direction of myopia200 300 degrees。Winter is coming, and children's eye axis has also ushered in a "period of rapid growth".
According to the comparative data of the eye axis of the optometry center of Beijing Huaxia People's Eye Hospital, the eye axis of some children will indeed grow faster in winter, and many studies have also shown thatThere are seasonal differences in myopia progression, with slower progression in summer than in winter[1], you may wonder: why does the eye axis grow faster in winter?How can I help my child control the growth of his eye axis in winter?
Why does the eye axis grow faster in winter?
The journal Nature Reviews Disease Primers published a long article in Myopia, which states:Outdoor activities are the main way to prevent myopia[2]。There are three reasons why the eye axis grows faster in winter:
There is little outdoor activityIn winter, due to the low temperature and more clothing, adults and children may prefer to be active at home and have less exposure to sunlight outdoors.
Increased use of the eyes at close rangeIf you spend more time at home, you will spend more time using your eyes at close range. Reading, drawing, going to class, watching, etc., if you don't pay attention to the length of your eyes, myopia will also increase in winter.
3. IndoorThe environment is dryDry, strong outdoor ultraviolet raysIt is easy to cause eye fatigue, including dry eyes, blurred vision, eye swelling, etc., which can easily lead to the deepening of myopia.
At present, there are two recognized mechanisms: first, more exposure to outdoor sunlight can promote the secretion of dopamine in the eye, help inhibit the growth of the eye axis and prevent myopia [3];2. Sunlight can promote the adjustment of eye muscles, and the eye muscles and pupils will continue to adjust with the change of light, in order to see clearly, reduce blurring caused by defocus, and help prevent and control the growth of myopia.
For the prevention of myopia, outdoor activities are an effective way to prevent and control myopia.
How to control myopia in winter
The difficulty of myopia prevention and control in winter increases, but it is not impossible, northSu Jinping, vice president of business and director of strabismus and pediatric ophthalmology of Jinghuaxia People's Eye HospitalSaid: There is a special focus on the prevention and control of myopia in winter.
Guarantee a certain amount of outdoor exercise time。A number of studies at home and abroad have shown that outdoor activities can slow down the development of myopia in children [3].
Balanced nutritionand moreEat foods that contain zinc, potassium, calcium, lithium, vitamins, such as soybeans, pears, carrots, eggs, yellow croaker, almonds, seaweed, apples, etc.
Develop healthy eye habits。Make sure your eyes are rested. The appropriate distance between the eyes should be 30 to 35 cm, and after 40 minutes of continuous eye use, the eyes should be looked into the distance to allow the eyes to be respun for a short period of time [5]. Don't rub your eyes with dirty hands, pay attention to eye hygiene, etc.
Reduce screen time。If you keep your eyes glued to the screen for a long time, the number of blinks decreases, and dry eye symptoms such as dry eyes, fatigue, and foreign body sensation will occur, which will lead to a decrease in visual quality.
Get enough sleep。Studies have shown that 8 to 10 hours of sleep in children and adolescents can help prevent myopia [4].
Regular eye examinations and refractive files。The establishment of refractive files is to conduct comprehensive, professional and regular examination and guidance on the vision of adolescents, dynamically record the refractive development process of children, and screen potential myopia patients in children with normal vision.
Winter is a challenging period for myopia prevention and control, but through reasonable eye habits and lifestyle adjustments, we can reduce the adverse effects on our eyes and help us better take care of our eye health. **Photo.com[1]International Institute of Myopia. Liu Kang, Gao Jianhua, Chen Zhuo, trans. Report of the International Institute of Myopia on the risk factors of myopia[J].Chin J Experimental Ophthalmology,2022,40(6):562-573 doi：10.3760/cma.j.cn115989-20210611-00355.[2] Nature Reviews Disease Primers published a long article "Myopia(Myopia)"[3]Zhai Lulu, Wu Xiaoyan, Xu Shaojun, Tao FangbiaoResearch progress on the association between sunlight exposure and myopia in children. Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 2016, 37(11): 1555-1560[4]Lan Jingyu, Wang Yan, Liu Meng, Zhang Rui, Gao Yunxian, New progress in the research of myopia, International Journal of Ophthalmology.
doi:10.3980/j.issn.1672-5123.2021.10.17
5] "Big Data Report on Eye Behavior of Chinese Adolescents".