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Can a child's short sight be slowed? Myopia control explained

Many parents notice that their child's spectacle power goes up at every check: from a small number to a bigger one, year after year. Short sight (myopia) in children has become much more common in India and around the world, and the years spent indoors on screens have added to it. The good news is that there are now ways to slow it down. This guide explains them. For children's eye care in general, see children's eye care and squint treatment in Vasco.

What is myopia, and why does it keep increasing?

In a short-sighted eye, the eyeball has grown a little too long from front to back, so distant objects focus in front of the retina instead of on it. Near things are clear; the school board and faces across the road are blurred. In children, the eye keeps growing, and in short-sighted children it often keeps growing too long, so the power rises. It usually slows down and settles in the late teens or early 20s.

Why does it matter how high the power goes?

Spectacles correct the blur at any power, so it is fair to ask why the number matters. The reason is that a very long eye has a stretched, thinner retina. High short sight raises the lifelong risk of:

• retinal tears and retinal detachment
• glaucoma
• damage to the macula, the centre of the retina (myopic maculopathy)
• cataract at a younger age

Slowing the rise in power, even by part, is expected to lower these risks later in life. Myopia control does not stop or reverse short sight; it aims to keep the final power lower than it would otherwise be.

Which children are most at risk?

• children with one or both parents short-sighted
• children whose short sight starts young, before about eight to ten years
• children whose power is increasing quickly
• children who spend long hours on close work and screens, and little time outdoors

What are the options for myopia control?

Time outdoors

Time outdoors in daylight is linked with a lower chance of children becoming short-sighted. Many eye doctors suggest around two hours outdoors a day, in total, across the day. In Goa that can be play in the garden, a walk to school, football or the beach in the evening. Protect the skin and eyes from strong midday sun with a cap and sunglasses.

Healthy close-work habits

• Take a break from books and screens every 20 to 30 minutes and look at something far away.
• Keep books and screens at a comfortable distance, about the length from the elbow to the knuckles or more, not close to the face.
• Read and study in good light.
• Keep recreational screen time limited, and screens out of the bedroom at night.

Special spectacle lenses

Specially designed spectacle lenses are made to slow the growth of the eye while correcting the blur. They need to be worn all day to work. The eye doctor can tell you whether they suit your child and how they differ from ordinary lenses.

Special contact lenses

Some soft contact lenses with special designs are worn in the day to slow myopia. Another type, a rigid lens worn overnight, gently reshapes the cornea so that the child sees clearly in the day without spectacles. All contact lenses carry a small risk of eye infection and need strict hygiene and an older, responsible child, with parents who supervise. See contact lenses: fitting and safe use.

Low-dose eye drops

Eye drops in a low strength, used once a day, have been shown in studies to slow myopia in many children. They must be prescribed and monitored by an eye doctor; do not buy them on your own. Side effects are usually mild, such as some sensitivity to bright light.

Combining options

For some children, the eye doctor suggests more than one option together, for example outdoor time with special lenses or drops.

What does not slow myopia?

• Giving a weaker spectacle power than the child needs does not slow short sight and may make it worse.
• Not wearing spectacles to "rest" the eyes does not help either.
• Eye exercises, diets and home remedies have not been shown to slow myopia.
• Blue light lenses are not a myopia treatment; see are blue light glasses worth it?

How is progress checked?

The child's power is measured regularly, usually every six months, often with drops that relax the eye's focusing so that the reading is accurate. The eye doctor compares the numbers over time to see whether the treatment is working, and the plan is changed if needed. Treatment usually continues for some years, until the power has settled.

What results can we expect?

Myopia control can slow the rise in power, but it does not stop it completely, does not reverse it and does not remove the need for spectacles. Children respond differently, and no one can promise a final number. What matters is regular follow-up and sticking with the plan.

When should we start?

As soon as short sight is found in a young child, or when the power is rising quickly, talk to the eye doctor. Earlier starts usually make more difference, because the eye grows fastest in younger children. Signs that a child may be short-sighted are in signs your child needs an eye test or glasses.

Myopia care in Vasco

Myopia control treatment for children is offered at ReNew Vision Eye Hospital. After examining your child's eyes, the eye doctor advises which option suits your child and follows the power over time. Ordinary spectacles and contact lenses can be made at our Vision Correction Centre in the same hospital; if special myopia-control lenses are advised, the eye doctor explains how they can be obtained. Eye OPD Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm, after school hours. Call or WhatsApp 072489 88039. Bring your child's spectacles and old prescriptions, which show how fast the power has changed. Read more on spectacles for children.

Questions patients ask

Can myopia in children be cured?

No. Myopia control can slow the rise in power, but it does not stop or reverse short sight, and spectacles are still needed. It aims to keep the final power lower, which lowers the risk of eye problems later in life.

At what age does a child's spectacle power stop increasing?

Short sight usually slows down and settles in the late teens or early 20s. It can keep changing longer in some people, which is why regular check-ups continue.

Does mobile phone use cause myopia?

Long hours of close work, including phones, tablets and books, with little time outdoors, are linked with more myopia. Regular breaks, a comfortable reading distance and about two hours outdoors a day help.

Will wearing glasses all the time increase my child's power?

No. Spectacles do not make the power go up. Wearing a weaker power than needed, or not wearing spectacles, does not slow myopia and may make it worse.

Are myopia control eye drops safe?

Low-dose drops have been used in studies with mostly mild side effects, such as sensitivity to bright light. They must be prescribed and monitored by an eye doctor, not bought on your own.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.