If you’ve ever squinted at a road sign or watched your child inch closer and closer to the television, you’ve already met myopia. Myopia is one of the most common reasons people in Singapore wear glasses.
Singapore has among the highest myopia rates in the world. Health Promotion Board figures previously reported that about 65% of Singaporean children are short-sighted by age 12, compared with roughly 12% in Australia and 29% in the UK.
Myopia often develops and progresses during childhood, as the eyes continue to grow. When myopia develops at a younger age, there may be more years for it to progress, which is why early detection and management are important.
What Is Myopia
Myopia, or short-sightedness, occurs when light entering the eye is focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it. The retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye that turns light into signals for the brain.
This is why myopia causes distant objects to look blurry while close-up ones stay sharp. Reading a book is comfortable, but reading the whiteboard from the back row is not.
Low Myopia vs High Myopia
Myopia is measured in dioptres (D). This is the unit that describes how much correction your eyes need for you to be able to see clearly.
Myopia is often classified by severity. Low myopia is generally less than -3.00D, while high myopia is commonly defined as -6.00D or more myopic.
The difference between the two goes beyond thicker lenses. High myopia is often associated with greater elongation of the eyeball, which can increase the risk of retinal and other eye complications later in life.
Signs of Myopia in Children and Adults
Adults and older children usually notice:
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Blurry distance vision
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Squinting to see distant objects
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Eye strain
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Headaches
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Difficulty seeing clearly while driving or playing sports
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Holding things closer to see them clearly
Younger children rarely complain because blurred distance vision is all they have ever known. Look out for these signs instead:
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Sitting very close to the TV or screen
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Holding books or objects close to the face
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Squinting or closing one eye
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Difficulty seeing the board at school
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Complaints of headaches or tired eyes
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Difficulty following lessons or seeing what is written on the board
What Causes Myopia?
Myopia is a refractive error, meaning it comes from the eye not bending incoming light onto the right spot on the retina. This usually happens because the eyeball is too long from front to back, although changes in the shape or focusing power of the cornea or other parts of the eye can also contribute.
As a result, light rays are focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it, producing a blurred image of distant objects.
Why It Starts in Childhood and Why Adults Aren’t Exempt
Childhood is when the eye grows fastest, so myopia typically appears and worsens during the school years. The Ministry of Health notes that myopia starts and progresses through childhood before stabilising in the late teenage years.
Adults aren’t entirely in the clear, either. Research has found that clinically significant myopia progression of at least 1.00D over five years occurred in around 20% of myopic adults aged 20 to 40 in the study.
Risk Factors for Myopia
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Family history
One short-sighted parent raises your child’s risk, and two raises it further. -
Prolonged near work
Long uninterrupted stretches of reading, homework, or close-up tasks. -
Screen time
Heavy device use is associated with higher risk in children. -
Limited time outdoors
Spending more time outdoors is consistently associated with a lower risk of developing myopia in children.
What Happens If Myopia Gets Worse?
Everyday Impact
A child who can’t see the board in the classroom may fall behind or lose confidence long before anyone connects it to vision.
Adults with uncorrected or inadequately corrected myopia may experience eye strain, headaches, and difficulty with tasks such as driving or working.
Long-Term Impact
This is the part that matters most. High myopia carries a raised lifetime risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract, and myopic macular degeneration. All of these can permanently affect eyesight.
That’s why managing myopia early matters. Slowing myopia progression can reduce the likelihood of developing high myopia, which is associated with a higher lifetime risk of serious eye complications.
How to Prevent Myopia and Slow It Down
There is currently no way to reverse the underlying structural changes associated with myopia once it has developed. However, there are ways to correct vision and, particularly in children, help slow myopia progression.
Spending more time outdoors may help delay the onset of myopia and slow its progression in children. MOH has estimated that increased outdoor time could reduce myopia prevalence by 13%, with a potential reduction in high myopia among future cohorts of young adults.
This means the following may be habits worth building:
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Go outdoors daily
Spending more time outdoors, particularly in daylight, may help reduce the risk of developing myopia in children. -
Take regular breaks from close-up work
Look into the distance periodically to give your eyes a break, particularly during long periods of reading or screen use. -
Keep a comfortable working distance
Avoid holding books or devices very close to your face, and take regular breaks during prolonged near work. -
Use comfortable lighting
Make sure reading and screen areas are well lit to reduce visual discomfort and avoid unnecessary glare. -
Book annual eye checks
This is key, even when your vision seems fine.
How Can Myopia Be Treated or Managed?
Standard single-vision glasses and contact lenses correct blurred vision but are not specifically designed to slow myopia progression.
Myopia management often corrects vision while also targeting progression.
Here are the main options available in Singapore:
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Atropine eye drops
Low-dose atropine may be prescribed to help slow myopia progression in children and should be used under the supervision of an eye-care professional. -
Ortho-K lenses
Rigid gas-permeable lenses worn overnight that temporarily reshape the cornea, providing daytime vision correction without glasses or contact lenses. They may also help slow myopia progression. -
Myopia control spectacle lenses
Specially designed spectacle lenses that provide clear central vision while using optical designs intended to slow myopia progression. -
Myopia control contact lenses
Specially designed contact lenses that correct vision while using optical designs intended to slow myopia progression. They may be an option for suitable older children and teenagers under professional supervision.
Read more about myopia management for children here.
When to Get Your Eyes Checked
For children:
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From preschool age, then at least once a year
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If your child starts sitting closer to screens or squinting
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Whenever a teacher mentions difficulty seeing the board
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If the prescription has jumped noticeably since the last visit
For adults:
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Every two years, or annually once past 40
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If distance vision blurs or night vision worsens
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If headaches or eye strain have become routine
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If you have high myopia, which warrants closer monitoring
Take the Next Step Towards Better Eye Health
Ultimately, knowing more about myopia can help you catch it earlier, whether for yourself or a child. This also gives you the widest range of options for its management.
A comprehensive eye exam lets an optometrist measure what’s actually happening and recommend what suits you or your child. Book an appointment or find a W Optics store near you to get started.
