Myopia management for children
Protect your child's vision with effective myopia management solutions that slow down short-sightedness progression and reduce future eye health risks.
What is myopia?
Myopia, or as it’s more commonly known, short-sightedness, is a very common eye condition that affects around 1 in 3 people in the UK.
Myopia is a condition where viewing distant objects may be blurred, while closer viewing remains clear. This is because when light rays enter the eye, rather than focusing on the retina, they focus in front of it - resulting in a blurry image. Myopia can affect day-to-day activities such as watching the TV, taking part in sports and looking at a classroom whiteboard.
Myopia in children
Myopia often begins to develop in childhood, typically between the ages of 6 and 13 years old. The degree of myopia can worsen until the child's eye stops growing, which is normally in their early 20s.
Early detection through regular eye exams and implementing appropriate myopia control strategies are important for protecting children's eye health. We provide NHS eye tests for children. No age is too young for a children's eye test - we will tailor it to their needs.
How do I know if my child has myopia?
Children are very good at not telling us how they feel, which often means that symptoms of myopia can be missed. However, here are a few common signs to look out for in your child, which may indicate short-sightedness. These include:
- Difficulty seeing words on a whiteboard or screen in a classroom at school.
- Experiencing frequent headaches
- Rubbing of eyes
- Squinting
- Having difficulty reading signs at a distance
- Sitting closer to the television when watching, or holding devices such as mobiles or tablets close to their face when using them. Family history of myopia e.g. if one or both parents have it, can also increase a child’s risk of developing it.
If you notice any of these signs, it's essential to schedule an eye exam with an optometrist to determine if your child has myopia and discuss appropriate management options.
What is myopia management for children?
Myopia management refers to various treatments and strategies aimed at slowing down the progression of short-sightedness in children - not just a pair of glasses or contact lenses to help you see whilst you use them. Historically, myopia progression could not be controlled through standard prescription lenses. However, with recent technological advancements, innovative options have emerged to influence the development of myopia, minimising its overall impact.
The earlier you start managing a young person's myopia, the better the results. By controlling myopia progression, these methods can help reduce the risk of developing more severe vision problems later in life, such as retinal detachment, cataracts, myopic macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Myopia management methods for children
Glasses for myopia control
Specialised spectacle lenses have been developed to slow down the progression of myopia in children. Some examples of myopia control glasses include:
- Hoya MiYOSMART lenses with defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) technology.
- Essilor Stellest lenses with highly aspherical lenslet target optics.
- SightGlass Vision DOT lenses with microscopic defocus lenslets. These specialised lenses are recommended for children between the ages of 6 to 16 years who are experiencing progressive myopia. They need to be worn full-time to achieve the best myopia control effect.
Contact lenses for myopia control
Similar to specialised glasses, certain contact lens designs can also slow myopia progression in children and adolescents. The two main types are:
- Multifocal soft contact lenses with concentric rings of different powers to create peripheral defocus on the retina.
- Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) rigid gas permeable lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea and create peripheral defocus. Children can wear contact lenses at almost any age, as long as they can confidently and safely handle inserting, removing, and caring for the lenses.
Other methods
In addition to optical interventions like specialised glasses and contact lenses, there are other methods that can be part of a comprehensive myopia management strategy for children:
- Increasing time spent outdoors (at least 2 hours per day) has been shown to reduce the risk of myopia setting in early in life and slow its progression. It may also slow down the worsening of myopia if coupled with frequent breaks in periods of near vision activity.
- Using computer screens safely - taking frequent breaks from the screen, proper lighting, maintaining good working distances - may help to reduce their risk of becoming short-sighted.
How to book your child’s myopia control appointment
Book online
Book an eye test for your child and discuss your concerns about myopia with our optometrist. They'll determine if your child experiences myopia and needs tailored management.
Book by Phone
Call us on 0800 40 20 20. Lines are open Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. Our team is available for appointment bookings as well as to answer to any queries you may have.
Myopia FAQs
If you have myopia, your children and grandchildren are indeed more likely to develop it too due to genetic factors. However, environmental influences also play a significant role. With early detection, proper management strategies, and lifestyle adjustments, we can help slow down myopia progression, provide freedom of unrestricted vision with contact lenses and reduce the risk of associated eye health complications in future generations.
Yes, children can safely wear contact lenses for myopia control. Specialised lenses can be prescribed as early as age 8, or even younger in some cases, as long as the child can responsibly handle and care for the lenses with parental supervision.
Careful handling, hygiene and regular eye examinations are essential to minimise risks and ensure healthy lens wear.