近視，俗稱短視，是一種影響全球數百萬兒童的視力狀況。雖然近視本身相對常見，但高度近視（或嚴重近視）會導致一系列眼睛健康問題，並增加成年後視力障礙的風險。好消息是，父母和照顧者可以採取積極措施來幫助預防兒童高度近視。在這篇綜合指南中，我們將探討導致近視加深的因素、與高度近視相關的風險，以及減少兒童近視發展的各種策略和介入措施。

了解兒童近視

Myopia, commonly known as short-sightedness, causes distant objects to appear blurred while close-up vision often remains clear. A child may be able to read a book or use a tablet comfortably but struggle to recognise faces across a room or see the board clearly at school. Myopia most commonly develops when the eye grows longer than expected during childhood. This causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly upon it. Although changes in the cornea and the eye’s focusing system can also contribute, excessive growth in the length of the eye is the principal structural cause of progressive childhood myopia. Once myopia begins, it can continue to progress throughout childhood and adolescence as the eyes grow. Children who become short-sighted at a younger age have more time for their prescription to increase and may therefore face a greater risk of developing high myopia. Early detection is important because modern myopia-control strategies may help slow this progression and protect the child’s long-term eye health.

Childhood Myopia Is Becoming More Common

Childhood myopia is increasing in the UK and across the world. The rise has been particularly noticeable in urban environments, where children may spend more time studying, using digital devices and concentrating on close-up activities, with fewer opportunities for extended outdoor play. Research from the College of Optometrists indicates that myopia among UK children aged 10 to 16 has more than doubled over the past 50 years. One UK study recorded myopia in 16.4% of children aged 12 to 13, compared with 7.2% among children aged 10 to 16 during the 1960s. The pattern is also visible in London. A 10-year study involving 23,593 children attending specialist eye-care services found that the proportion of prescriptions issued for myopia increased from 24% to 32%. Among children who initially had mild or moderate myopia, 62% experienced further progression.

This matters because myopia is not simply a question of needing stronger glasses. As the eye becomes longer and the prescription increases, the tissues at the back of the eye can become more vulnerable. High myopia is associated with an increased lifetime risk of retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. Recognising and managing myopia during childhood can therefore help protect vision well into adult life.

導致近視發展的因素

有幾個因素會導致兒童近視的發生和發展：

1. 遺傳：近視經常在家族中遺傳，這表明遺傳因素使一些兒童容易患上近視。
2. 環境因素：長時間近距離工作，例如閱讀、使用數位螢幕和其他近距離活動，會增加近視的風險
3. 缺乏戶外時間：兒童時期戶外活動不足和接觸自然光與罹患近視的可能性較高有關。
4. 教育壓力：高學術要求和長時間的學習可能會導致近距離工作的增加，這可能會導致近視加深。
5. 都市化：戶外空間有限的都市環境會限制兒童戶外玩耍和陽光照射的機會。
6. 缺乏意識：許多家長和孩子可能沒有意識到控制近視措施的重要性。

Consequences of Untreated Myopia In London

如果不加以控制，兒童近視可能會產生深遠的後果：

1. 快速進展：近視在兒童期和青春期往往會惡化，導致處方強度越來越大。
2. 高度近視：嚴重近視（高度近視）會增加眼部併發症的風險，包括視網膜剝離、青光眼和白內障。
3. 生活品質下降：未矯正的近視會妨礙孩子參與體育和戶外活動的能力，影響他們的整體生活品質。
4. 學業影響：如果孩子看不清楚黑板或閱讀課本，近視會影響他們在學校的表現。
5. 經濟負擔：控制高度近視及其併發症的經濟成本在一生中可能是巨大的。

預防兒童高度近視的策略

鑑於近視潛在的長期後果，積極採取措施控制兒童近視至關重要。一些策略已顯示出減緩近視發展並減少其影響的希望：

1. 角膜塑形術 (Ortho-K)：Ortho-K 涉及使用專門設計的隱形眼鏡，在孩子睡覺時重塑角膜。這些鏡片在早上摘下，以提供全天清晰的視力。 Ortho-K 可以有效減緩近視進展。
2. Multifocal Contact Lenses: Multifocal contact lenses, which have different prescriptions for distance and near vision, have demonstrated efficacy in myopia control. These lenses can reduce the rate of myopia progression.
3. 阿托品眼藥水：低劑量阿托品眼藥水可透過放鬆眼睛的聚焦機制來減緩近視進展。與其他策略結合使用時，這種治療方法最為有效。
4. 增加戶外時間：鼓勵兒童花更多時間在戶外，特別是在自然陽光下，有助於降低近視發生和發展的風險。
5. 減少近距離工作：在近距離活動期間實施 20-20-20 規則（每 20 分鐘休息 20 秒，看看 20 英尺外的物體）可以減輕眼睛疲勞並減緩近視加深。
6. 近視管理計劃：一些眼保健專業人員提供近視管理計劃，結合各種策略來全面解決近視進展問題。
7. 定期眼科檢查：每年進行一次眼科檢查對於監測兒童近視進展並根據需要調整治療至關重要。

家長參與與教育

家長在孩子近視控制中扮演關鍵角色。以下是父母可以採取的一些關鍵步驟來支持孩子的眼睛健康：

1. 意識：隨時了解近視的風險和後果，並與孩子的眼科保健提供者討論。
2. 戶外活動：鼓勵您的孩子花更多時間在戶外，參與體育活動，享受自然陽光。
3. 螢幕時間管理：設定螢幕時間限制，鼓勵平衡使用數位設備，並在戶外活動時休息。
4. 定期眼科檢查：為您的孩子安排年度眼科檢查，即使他們沒有表現出近視症狀。
5. 合規性：確保您的孩子遵循規定的近視控制治療計劃，無論是包括 Ortho-K 鏡片、阿托品眼藥水或其他方法。
6. 環境：創造一個有利於學習和玩耍的環境，包括適當的照明和符合人體工學的工作空間。

A Modern Parent’s Weekly Vision Plan

Preventing high myopia in children is not about banning screens or forcing them outdoors. It is about balance. In today’s world of gaming, tablets, streaming and homework, parents need a realistic framework that supports eye development without isolating children from modern life.

Modern Activities That Support Healthy Vision

Children today engage in very different activities compared to previous generations. Instead of simply telling children to “go outside”, parents can guide them toward visually stimulating, distance-focused hobbies that naturally support eye health.

• Skateboarding & Stunt Scootering – Encourages dynamic distance awareness and rapid focus adjustment.
• Paintballing or Laser Tag – Enhances peripheral vision and depth perception.
• Archery – Promotes controlled distance focus and visual discipline.
• Outdoor Team Sports – Football, rugby and hockey require constant distance tracking.
• Cycling or Mountain Biking – Encourages long-distance visual engagement rather than close-up fixation.

Even modern video gaming can be managed more intelligently. Large screens positioned at an appropriate viewing distance are preferable to prolonged use of handheld devices held close to the face.

Daily Vision Balance Guide for Growing Eyes

Healthy eye development in children is not about removing modern life. It is about balance.
In today’s digital world, children need structured outdoor exposure, managed screen habits
and dynamic visual activities to support long-term eye health.

Outdoor Time

Minimum 90–120 minutes per day

Natural daylight plays a powerful role in regulating eye growth.
Outdoor exposure has been shown to reduce the risk of myopia progression.
This does not need to be structured sport; walking the dog, cycling, park time,
skateboarding or simply playing outside all count.

螢幕時間

Structured, Not Unlimited

Encourage breaks every 20 minutes using the 20-20-20 rule.
Gaming sessions should be broken into blocks rather than hours
of continuous close focus. Larger screens positioned further away
are preferable to handheld devices held close to the face.

Healthy Screen Habits

Screen Time Should Be Structured, Not Unlimited

Screens are part of modern childhood, but long periods of uninterrupted close focus may place additional demands on growing eyes. The aim is not to ban technology, but to create healthier viewing habits.

Screen Activity	Healthier Approach	Why It Helps
Homework and Reading	Use a well-lit desk and encourage an upright posture with books and screens kept at a comfortable distance.	Good lighting and positioning help reduce visual strain during necessary periods of close work.
Gaming	Break gaming sessions into shorter blocks rather than allowing several hours of continuous close focus.	Regular interruptions encourage the eyes to change focus and prevent extended periods of concentrated near work.
Phones and Tablets	Avoid holding handheld devices very close to the face. Increase the text size rather than moving the screen nearer.	Increasing the viewing distance reduces the demand placed on the eye’s close-focusing system.
Television and Films	When appropriate, choose a larger screen viewed from further away instead of a small handheld device.	Watching from further away involves less sustained close focus than viewing the same content on a nearby phone.
Between Activities	Include outdoor play, sport, walking or another activity that encourages children to look across longer distances.	Time outdoors and regular distance viewing provide an important balance to screen use and other close-up activities.
Every 20 Minutes	Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something approximately 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.	This gives the focusing system a short break and encourages children to look beyond the screen.

Remember: healthy screen use is about distance, duration, regular breaks and balance. A child who uses digital devices should also have plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity and distance vision.

Active Focus Sports

3–5 sessions per week

Sports that require distance tracking and spatial awareness
help stimulate healthy visual development. Consider football, tennis,
cricket, basketball, skateboarding, stunt scootering, athletics or swimming.

Creative Close Work

Balanced With Light

Homework and reading are important, but ensure proper lighting and posture.
Avoid doing close work in dim environments. A well-lit desk and
upright posture can significantly reduce visual strain.

Signs Your Child’s Vision May Be Changing

Early detection is critical. Parents should look for:

• Sitting very close to screens
• Squinting when looking at distant objects
• Complaints of headaches after school
• Declining interest in outdoor sports
• Frequent prescription changes.

Annual eye examinations are essential, even if your child does not complain of blurred vision. Myopia can progress quietly.

The Long-Term Perspective

High myopia is not simply about needing stronger glasses. Severe progression increases the risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma and macular complications later in life. Managing myopia early is an investment in your child’s future eye health.

At EuroEyes, we combine advanced diagnostics with evidence-based myopia control treatments such as orthokeratology, specialised contact lenses and low-dose atropine therapy. Early intervention can dramatically reduce the lifetime risk of complications.

如何矯正近視

德視佳處於兒童近視治療的前沿，利用尖端技術來解決這一日益嚴重的問題。德視佳提供先進的治療方案，包括專門的眼藥水、客製化隱形眼鏡和創新的角膜塑形鏡治療，其中包括佩戴矯正鏡片過夜以重塑角膜。這些方法不僅有助於減緩近視的進展，還可以透過降低未來併發症的風險來保護兒童的長期視力健康。

The latest technology available at EuroEyes aims to provide tailored treatments for each child, offering a non-invasive, pain-free experience. Early intervention is crucial in managing myopia, and EuroEyes’ pediatric specialists work closely with families to create personalised care plans. This comprehensive approach, combined with state-of-the-art diagnostics and therapies, ensures that children receive the most effective treatment for their vision needs, allowing them to enjoy a better quality of life and healthier vision as they grow.

預防是關鍵

預防兒童高度近視對於保護他們的眼睛健康和降低成年後視力併發症的風險至關重要。雖然近視變得越來越普遍，但父母和照顧者可以採取積極措施來管理和控制其發展。透過自我教育有關近視、採取近視控制策略以及與眼保健專業人員密切合作，父母可以為孩子提供清晰視力和終身健康眼睛的最佳機會。只要我們齊心協力，就能在減少近視對子孫後代的影響方面取得重大進展。