Give Your Child a Lifetime of Good Vision

School can be frustrating for a child who has trouble clearly seeing the whiteboard at the front of the classroom. You can help support their eyesight not only with prescription glasses, but also proven treatments to help reduce the progression of myopia (or nearsightedness) in children.

More Nearsightedness Around the Globe

Myopia is already very common, affecting about half the global population, and it’s becoming even more prevalent in children. Early research suggests this could be due to the amount of near focus activities kids engage in, like using the computer or a tablet, playing video games, and reading.

Early detection through regular eye exams—especially if the child’s parents or older siblings have myopia—is key to slowing the progression of myopia. This refractive error can’t be reversed, but there are 3 main types of treatment that show great promise for controlling myopia.

Myopia Control Treatments

Atropine Drops

Atropine eye drops are used to dilate the pupil during some eye exams, and recent studies have found evidence that low-dose atropine drops may effectively control myopia in children 5 to 18 years old.

These drops can be administered at night to help deal with the slight itching that may occur as a result.

MiSight® Daily Contacts

The MiSight® 1 day lens has been clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia in patients 8 to 12 years old. Over a 3-year period, these lenses were shown to reduce myopia progression by 59% compared to regular single vision lenses.

The daily contacts correct your child’s vision while addressing the axial elongation that causes progressive nearsightedness. Please book your child’s eye exam today and ask your optometrist if MiSight is right for your child’s growing eyes or to help teach your child how to safely care for their contact lenses.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Orthokeratology (ortho-k) is a special overnight contact lens that flattens the cornea overnight. The next day, without wearing corrective eyewear, their distance vision will be clear, similar to how they would see if they were wearing eyeglasses.

Ortho-k will continue to work as long as they’re worn regularly overnight, and may also provide some longer term control of myopia progression. If ortho-k use is discontinued, your child may need to wear glasses or contacts to see clearly at a distance.

Specialty Lenses

Specialty lenses are lenses that are designed for patients with specific eye conditions or issues such as myopia.

At In Focus Eyecare, we carry a number or specialty lenses to help your vision excel while protecting the health of your eyes.

Myopia Risk Factors

There’s evidence that genetics plays a role in myopia—meaning that the children of 2 nearsighted parents are at a higher risk for developing myopia—but it’s not the only factor.

It also appears that environmental factors may affect myopia. Many hours spent indoors looking at a screen or reading seem to increase the risk of developing myopia in children. Compounding that, less time spent outdoors in the sunshine may also be an increased risk factor. Exposure to sunlight may stimulate the production of more dopamine, while lower dopamine has been linked to the elongation of the eye that causes myopia.

Until the research is conclusive, it’s fair to say that more time playing outside—while wearing sunglasses—is a great addition to any kid’s day. And, of course, ensure all your family members undergo regular eye exams to stay ahead of any vision changes.