Short sightedness, also known as myopia, is a common condition thought to affect around 20% of children in the UK. Essentially, it means having trouble focusing on objects at a distance which means they have to wear children’s glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision. Children are more likely to develop this condition if one or both parents are also myopic.
The prevalence of myopia is increasing due to increased screen time among younger age groups. The eye doesn’t stop developing until about 20 years of age, so it’s particularly important to practice good eyecare during these formative years.
What to look out for
Myopia typically becomes noticeable from ages 6-13, so regular children’s eye tests during this period are recommended. Common signs are issues seeing the board at school, headaches, rubbing their eyes, sitting too close to the TV, or holding screens close to the face.
While prescription children’s glasses or contact lenses for short sightedness can mitigate the problem, myopia can become an issue further down the line as their prescription increases, potentially leading to serious eye conditions retinal detachment and glaucoma in adulthood.
Myopia control
Studies have consistently shown that early intervention, known as myopia control, can slow down the rate at which myopia progresses in children, helping to stabilise and protect their vision. We are excited to offer both cutting edge glasses and contact lenses for myopia management at our opticians in Drumchapel.
Stellest glasses lenses are at the pinnacle of myopia control, clinically proven to reduce the onset of myopia by 67% on average when worn 12 hours per day, by focusing the light in a certain way, so myopia progression develops at a reduced rate. They are worn just like regular glasses, making them easy to wear for children.
MiSight 1 Day contact lenses for children function using patented ActivControl® Technology and are clinically proven to correct and slow down myopia progression by 59% on average. As daily disposable lenses, they are both comfortable, hygienic, and easy to wear for children, with 90% of wearers preferring them to glasses.
Get in touch with Murray Opticians Drumchapel
To find out more about our Stellest children’s glasses and contact lenses for shortsightedness and myopia control, we encourage you to book a children’s eye test first so we can check their vision and eye health and then discuss your options with you to find the most suitable one for your child.