Acting early in the diagnosis of myopia not only helps to improve their vision now, but can help slow the progression of myopia and preserve vision and eye health for the future.
Due to the increased length of a myopic eye, the incidence of conditions such as glaucoma, myopic macular degeneration and retinal detachment increase with the level of myopia.
Myopia management is a long term treatment plan for children and teenagers to manage and slow the growth of myopia to reduce the risk of such conditions later in life.
How can you slow the progression of Myopia?
Up until now, the only treatment options opticians could provide were conventional spectacle lenses to correct the visual symptoms of myopia, making vision clearer, and advice on behavioural changes - reducing the amount of very close work, such as on mobile phones or tablets, and increasing the time spent outside.
This has recently changed as we now have access to Hoya's Miyosmart lenses, which have been proven to slow the progression of myopia while still providing clear vision.
Act Now
The NHS feels that regular eye exams are important for children and as such, will cover the costs of an eye test once a year for under 16s, and those 18 or under in full-time education.
In terms of myopia, it is especially important to book to see our optometrist now if your child:
- is already short-sighted
- is under 16 years old
- is a student at university
- spends less than 1.5 hours outside every day
- spends more than 2 hours reading or using handheld devices (outside of school hours)
- Has one or more parents with Myopia (though even with neither parent suffering myopia it still affects 1 in 4 people)