Q: My 8 year old is getting more nearsighted each year, and I would like to do something to be sure she does not end up with thick glasses by the time she is 18. What do you recommend?
A: This is one of the most exciting and positive developments in vision care in decades! We now have 3 options to intervene in the advancing nearsightedness, called “myopia”, for children. You can truly now use new technologies to slow down or stop the progression of blurry distance vision.
First, recognize the our vision changes due to both genetics and environment. Obviously we cannot do anything about our parents genes, but kids today are spending far too much time staring at tablets and cell phones and digital screens. The result is the children are becoming more nearsighted faster than ever before. This has been called an epidemic of myopia.
Treatment options are best determined in a consultation with your primary eye care provider….typically your family Optometrist or Optometric Physician. First, an eyedrop instilled each morning has proven effective in slowing myopia progression. The medication prevent over focusing at near, so common with prolonged screen time. Second, a specialized soft contact lens can be worn to slow or stop myopia advancing. These lenses give sharp central vision but provide “defocus” in the periphery. Amazingly, this slows the excessive elongation for the eye in growth! Nearsighted people essentially have eyes that grew too long, front to back…..shaped more like an egg than a ping pong ball. Third, and brand new, are eyewear lenses to also give clear central vision with peripheral defocus. The results seem to be similar to the contact lenses…..slowing myopia progression.
There is no certain age to begin, but your primary eye care doctor can assist and guide your choice in treatment. Much like orthodontics for your smile, myopia management can now prevent the need to thick strong glasses as we grow. Certainly, refractive surgeries can reduce myopia, but not until at least age 18. For many, these new treatments are better, earlier and more natural.