Shree Ramkrishna Netralaya gets Maharashtra’s first Zeiss Myopia Clinic

Dr Shruti Mittal is a Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Squint Surgeon, and Neuro Ophthalmologist at Shree Ramkrishna Netralaya. She has an experience of over 10 years, during which she has handled complex squint procedures and other paediatric eye disorders. She answers questions about myopia and more…

What is myopia?
Myopia refers to short-sightedness. The child can see near objects clearly, but the vision for distance is blurry. They are given minus-powered glasses. Recently there has been an increase in myopia, with almost one in every six children developing it. We expect around 50% of the children’s population getting affected by it by 2050.

Can myopia be treated?
Treatment for myopia is giving spectacles or contact lenses. The problem with myopia is it continues to increase as the child grows till 18 years of age. We have methods, including drops, special myopia control glasses, and lifestyle modification to control the progression of myopia so that it does not reach very high powers. Our Zeiss Myopia Clinic provides the best quality care to children with myopia.

Shree Ramkrishna Netralaya is starting the first Zeiss Myopia Clinic in Maharashtra. Tell us more about it.
With myopia spreading like an epidemic, we must understand children’s special needs. They cannot be treated like adults. Eye check-up in children is tricky because they cannot read letters, have a short attention span, or may keep moving their head during computerised vision testing. All these factors may cause errors in testing. They need special vision charts, cycloplegic refraction and retina testing for accuracy. With this in mind, we are starting the SRN Zeiss Myopia Clinic. It is a matter of pride for us that an internationally acclaimed company like Zeiss chose us to partner with them. With state-of-the-art infrastructure, and specially trained optometrists and ophthalmologists, our focus is to give individualised treatment options and control the myopia epidemic.

Who should do an eye check-up for myopia?
All children should have an eye check-up before starting school. It helps to detect myopia and other eye problems. Besides, any child with difficulty in distant vision, holding toys close to their eyes, squeezing or squinting eyes, blinking frequently, family history of myopia, all such children should do an eye check-up irrespective of age.