Is refractive error the same as myopia?

1.How to understand refractive errors?

When light passes from one medium to another with a different refractive index, its direction changes. This phenomenon is known as "refraction" in ophthalmology. In this case, the external light and objects can be focused on the retina after passing through the eye's refractive system, and transmitted to the brain, allowing us to clearly see things. However, if our cornea or lens is curved, uneven, or not smooth, it will cause the external parallel light to fail to be accurately refracted after passing through the eye's refractive system, unable to focus precisely at the macular fovea of the retina and produce a clear image. This is a case of refractive error.

There are many causes of refractive errors. One of the important factors is improper eye usage habits. Teenagers and children are in the period of growth and development. If they do not pay attention to eye usage habits and hygiene, it is very likely to cause excessive eye fatigue. If this situation persists over time, it may lead to refractive errors.

2.Myopia ≠ Refractive Error Why do children have refractive errors? 

To understand the causes of a child's refractive error, we first need to understand the refractive system. The components of the ocular refractive system mainly include the cornea, the lens, and the vitreous body. Any problem with any of these structures will affect the clarity of the image formed by the eye.

3.The manifestations of refractive error

The most common manifestation of refractive errors is blurred vision. Other symptoms include:

 √ Diplopia 

√ Blurred vision 

√ Seeing glare or halos in bright light 

√ Headache, eye fatigue, soreness 

√ Unable to concentrate when reading or using a computer

4.What should be done if a child has refractive errors?

Scientific medical optometry includes computerized optometry and objective retinoscopy, and uses an integrated optometry instrument to conduct binocular refractive balance optometry. At the same time, binocular visual function examinations (including accommodation function, fusion function, stereopsis and eye movement function, etc.) should be conducted to comprehensively evaluate the functional indicators of the eyes and formulate the most suitable corrective plan.

For children and teenagers, if the degree of refractive error is relatively small and vision deterioration has not yet occurred, they can slow down the progression of the condition by improving their eye usage habits and hygiene; if the refractive error is high and vision has significantly declined, they must go to a formal institution to correct their vision by wearing frame glasses or contact lenses to slow down the progression.

Prevention Tips 

1. Pay attention to eye hygiene and avoid excessive use of eyes. 
2. Establish good living habits and avoid overwork and staying up late. 
3. Pay attention to a balanced diet and consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding spicy foods. 
4. Have regular eye health checks once or twice a year, especially for patients with underlying diseases (such as patients with hypertension, high blood lipids, diabetes, etc.).