How can myopia control help your short sighted child?

Myopia is the medical term for short-sightedness. People who are myopic can see objects that are near but experience blurred vision when looking at objects far away. If someone is short sighted, glasses are prescribed by our optometrist to correct their vision. Being myopic is a common problem, affecting approximately one third of the UK population.

Unfortunately, myopia is becoming an increasing concern amongst children with more developing the condition at younger ages. Read on to learn more about myopia and how it can be effectively managed.

More about myopia

A person is more likely to develop myopia if one or both parents are also short-sighted. Increased screen time may also be contributing to children developing the condition at earlier ages as their eyes are not able to adjust to different distances because they only focus on near-vision tasks.

The effects of myopia

Unfortunately, without taking steps to manage myopia, a person’s vision can deteriorate, which can sometimes result in a high prescription. This can pave the way for potential complications in adulthood, including an increased risk of developing other serious, sight-threatening eye problems like glaucoma and retinal detachment.

Myopia management

The good news is that it’s possible to protect your child’s vision with myopia management. These clinically proven methods help slow down and stabilise myopia, safeguarding their vision for the future, and we have made sure to invest time in becoming accredited to prescribe these solutions to help your child.

MiSight 1 Day contact lenses:

These daily disposable soft contact lenses are worn just like normal soft lenses and are designed with ActivControl Technology, which is what helps to slow down myopia progression. A 3-year study showed that they can reduce the rate of myopia progression by 59% in children.

They are safe to wear and hygienic, as they are simply thrown away after use every day, with no additional care required. We have found that kids easily adapt to these contact lenses, and enjoy wearing them more than spectacles, because of the freedom they provide!

NaturalVue Multifocal contact lenses:

NaturalVue Multifocal 1 Day contact lenses were originally used for middle-aged patients who needed multifocals to see clearly at all distances, however, a 5-year study showed a consistent slowing in myopia progression while wearing NaturalVue contact lenses for an extended period.

They’re available in a wide range of prescriptions, and again as daily disposable lenses, are very convenient for children. They also have a UV filter, which is great for kids when playing outdoors!

MiYOSMART spectacle lenses:

These award-winning spectacle lenses are clinically proven to limit myopia progression on average by 59% and the recent results of a 6-year study show that MiYOSMART is effective in controlling myopia over a prolonged period.

Worn like regular glasses with no adaptation needed, they are easy for kids to wear. Plus, their anti-reflective coating and water repellent and impact resistance properties make them perfect for playtime and other kids’ activities.

Stellest spectacle lenses:

Also worn like normal children’s glasses, these short-sighted glasses are designed with HALT (Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target) technology and slow down myopia progression by 67% on average when worn 12 hours a day.

Get in touch

If it’s been a while since your child’s last appointment, book a child eye test at our opticians serving the Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park areas to ensure their prescription is up to date and find out more about managing myopia.