Having trouble seeing your teacher at the board? Squinting to see your friend approaching in the distance? Finding it difficult to read the subtitles of your favourite shows? Living with student myopia can be challenging. We explain the causes of this vision problem, the solutions, and the right prevention habits to adopt!

What is myopia?

Before talking about the causes of student myopia, you should know that myopia is not a disease, but a vision disorder. No need to panic, you are not going to lose your eyesight! This condition is characterized by clear near vision and blurred distance vision.

With an estimated 50% of the world’s population affected by myopia by 2050, this visual defect is the most common and continues to increase.

However, there are different types of myopia. The different levels are measured in diopters (for those who are curious, this corresponds to the unit of convergence or divergence of an optical system):

• Mild myopia: between -0.25 and -3 diopters
• Moderate myopia: between -3.25 and -6 diopters
• High myopia: above -6 diopters
  
  

The causes of myopia

Myopia is generally caused by an eye that is too long. “Hmm, but what does that mean exactly?” you might ask.

To better understand myopia, here is a little diagram:

As you can see, if you have myopia, the image received by your lens is not transmitted correctly to the retina because it is located too far away. As a result, the image in front of your eyes appears blurry. Well, you see what we mean!

Several factors can contribute to the development of myopia:

• Genetics. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
  
  
• Your environment. There is indeed a higher risk of developing myopia if you are not exposed enough to natural light. So, take your eyes away from your screen and go get some fresh air!
  
  
• Doing frequent activities where your eyes work at close range, such as reading or sewing, as well as excessive screen time, can also increase myopia.
  
  

With their eyes constantly focused on notebooks and computer screens, students make their eyes work at close range for many years. Mostly indoors during the day, they are often exposed to poor lighting conditions. As you can see, today’s students are increasingly affected by myopia. It has become so common that it has even been given a name: student myopia.

Myopia among students

Glasses wearers, it’s time to introduce a new form of myopia, the star of today’s article: student myopia!

What causes student myopia?

You can be born with myopia, but you can also develop it, especially if you are a student.

Today, young people spend an average of 6 hours a day in front of screens. This digital generation is exposed daily to blue light, which can affect their vision.

In addition, by constantly focusing on their study materials, students’ eyes lose the habit of looking into the distance, leading to accommodation difficulties.

But how can you know if you might be affected by student myopia?

Listen to your body! The symptoms are the same as traditional myopia, but instead of appearing during childhood, they occur during adolescence and early adulthood: blurred distance vision, headaches, dry eyes… all signs that can alert you!

What solutions can help fight student myopia?

Student myopia does not mean wearing glasses for life! The cause of your myopia is linked to an accommodation problem, meaning that your eyes do not focus properly. By making them focus on the same nearby point (less than 40 centimeters away) and in the same direction for a long time, your eyes can struggle to look into the distance.

We know you love being on screens for Netflix and working on your notebooks, but you’ll need to disconnect from time to time, dear students (your eyes are saying it, not us)!

But don’t worry, student myopia can be temporary if detected early! To avoid developing it, it is important to rest your eyes and take a few precautions.

There are some very simple exercises to help your eyes get used to seeing far away again:

• Let’s start with the 20-20-20 rule. Don’t stare at us! We’re not talking about an economic or marketing rule here. This rule simply means taking a break every 20 minutes and looking at an object located 20 feet (around 6 meters) away for 20 seconds. Easy, right?
  
  
• You can also look at a distant point in different directions for a few seconds several times a day. It’s a good opportunity to look up, relax your accommodation, and watch the birds outside your window (or just the sky without the birds, that works too).
  
  
• Finally, let your eyes enjoy natural light if your workplace lacks it. The best way is to take a short break outside. It’s good for your brain, your mood, and your eyes!
  
  
• One last thing: remember to blink. Unless you are trying to beat the world record of 57 minutes without blinking (we won’t judge), it is important to close your eyes regularly to prevent them from drying out.
  
  

Remember to protect your eyes from blue light:

• Blue light blocking glasses help reduce exposure to harmful blue light and provide extra comfort.
  
  
• Remember to activate the yellow filters directly on your smartphones, tablets and computers whenever your device offers this option!
  
  
• Reduce the brightness of your screens, especially in the evening.
  
  

If you have student myopia and are prescribed glasses, avoid wearing them too often, especially for close-up vision.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to retrain your eyes with a few simple habits. If you wear your glasses all day long, your eyes will no longer be trained to see without them. You could end up with lifelong myopia and become like that uncle of yours. You know, the one who always holds the restaurant menu right in front of his nose when he forgets his glasses. That would be a shame!

Alright, we’ll leave you with these few tips. Good luck with your studies!