29 Jul Why shortsightedness in children is on the rise
Short-sightedness – also known as myopia – has always been one of the most common eyesight conditions, irrespective of a person’s age. It causes things in the distance to appear blurry, while objects that are close are really clear, and the effect can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
In short, it’s a condition that we’re all well aware of, but recently there’s been a worrying increase in its prevalence in children. Typically, it can develop in young people aged between six and 13, and it will worsen as they grow up and approach the age of 25.
If a child becomes myopic before nine years old, this may mean they are more likely to develop a high level of myopia and will be at a slightly greater risk of serious eye conditions later on in life. These conditions include retinal detachments, glaucoma and myopic retinal degeneration.
There are a number of reasons why more and more children are developing myopia:
- Genetics: it’s a condition that children can be susceptible to if their parents or grandparents also suffered from it
- Screen time: children spending long hours on their phones, tablets, computers or gaming consoles are at greater risk of shortsightedness
- Lack of time outdoors: staying inside and relying on artificial light can have a detrimental effect on eyesight
- Eye growth: the eyeball may grow too long, or the lens may be too powerful, which will cause light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it
Evidence of myopia in children will include:
- Struggling to see the whiteboard in class or to read road signs and numberplates
- Sitting too close to the TV or screen, or holding a book or device nearer than normally needed
- Screwing up their eyes or squinting in order to read or watch TV
- Suffering from regular headaches or eye strain
- Complaining of sore eyes or rubbing them more than usual
Trying to slow down how quickly myopia gets worse is called myopia management. Myopia in children can’t be reversed, but it can be managed, and the most common ways of doing so include:
- Specially designed corrective lenses for myopia management, either as glasses or contact lenses
- Atropine eye drops, which can slow down the progression of myopia in children (currently not available in the UK)
- Eye tests, which – if carried out regularly – can identify any issues sooner and enable early intervention
- Fresh air, since time spent in natural light is helpful in slowing down the progression of shortsightedness
- Reduced screen time, which will give eyes a break and a chance to recover
Being less myopic may mean your child is slightly less likely to be affected by serious eye conditions in the future.
Eyes of Swavesey are opticians in Cambridge, and we offer full eye tests as well as glasses and contact lenses for myopia management, all with the option of a competitive EyePlan. Call us on 01954 231158 to secure an appointment or book online here.
