What is axial length of the eye?

Why myopic children need to examine axial length of eye regularly?

543 myopic children aged 7–9 years from three Singapore schools were recruited to participate in the SCORM (Singapore Cohort study Of the Risk factors for Myopia) study from 2005 to 2007. The result from SCORM reviewed the axial length of the eye (“measurement of eyeball elongation”) increased more in the first and second years of the study compared to third year as myopia progressed. The progression of myopia over the 3 years was -2.03Ds (“-200 degree”).

The study also reviewed children with one or two parents with myopia had greater increase in axial length compared to children without any myopic parents. Parents with myopia are encouraged to start their children on myopia control at age of 7 years. Read the full article.