As children grow, their vision can change quickly. For parents of children who are nearsighted, or myopic, this may mean noticing that their child needs a stronger glasses prescription every year.
It can be easy to think that needing stronger glasses is simply a normal part of growing up. However, changes in a child's prescription can provide important information about how their eyes are developing.
At InVision Eyecare in Lethbridge, our eye doctors provide comprehensive eye care for patients of all ages, including children. Regular eye exams allow our team to monitor your child's vision, prescription, visual function, and overall eye health as they grow.
What Is Childhood Myopia?
Myopia, commonly called nearsightedness, is a condition where distant objects appear blurry while objects up close can usually be seen more clearly.
Myopia commonly develops during childhood and can change as the eyes continue to grow. When the eye becomes longer from front to back, light focuses in front of the retina rather than directly on it, resulting in blurry distance vision.
As myopia progresses, a child may need a stronger prescription to see clearly.
Parents may notice signs such as:
- Squinting to see the board at school
- Sitting close to the television
- Holding books, tablets, or phones very close to the face
- Difficulty seeing objects or people in the distance
- Complaints of headaches or tired eyes
- Difficulty seeing clearly during sports or other activities
- Frequently needing a stronger glasses prescription
Children don't always realize that their vision has changed. They may assume that blurry distance vision is normal, which is one reason regular eye examinations are so important.
Why Is Monitoring Myopia Important?
For children with myopia, an eye exam is about more than simply determining whether they need a new prescription.
Your eye doctor can monitor changes in your child's vision and prescription while also checking their overall eye health. This can help identify changes that may require further evaluation or care.
Higher levels of myopia are associated with an increased lifetime risk of certain eye conditions, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration.
This does not mean that every child with myopia will develop these conditions. However, it reinforces the importance of monitoring your child's eye health and vision as they grow.
Pay Attention to Changes in Your Child's Vision
If your child is squinting, having trouble seeing the board at school, or seems to need stronger glasses regularly, it may be time for an eye exam.
At InVision Eyecare, our comprehensive eye exams help evaluate your child's vision and eye health and can identify changes that may need attention.
What Can Parents Do to Support Healthy Vision?
Every child's eyes are different, and there isn't one approach that is right for every child. Your optometrist can assess your child's individual vision and eye health and provide recommendations based on their needs.
Parents can also encourage healthy visual habits at home.
Encourage Outdoor Time
Spending time outdoors is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for children. Research has also found an association between increased outdoor time and a lower risk of developing myopia.
Encourage your child to play outside and participate in outdoor activities when possible.
Encourage Breaks During Near Work
Children today spend a significant amount of time reading, doing homework, and using computers, tablets, and other digital devices.
During extended periods of close-up work, encourage your child to take regular breaks and look at objects farther away. This can give their eyes a chance to relax and refocus.
Make Comprehensive Eye Exams Part of Their Routine
School vision screenings can help identify certain vision problems, but they do not replace a comprehensive eye examination.
A comprehensive eye exam evaluates much more than whether a child can read letters on an eye chart. Your optometrist can assess their prescription, focusing ability, eye coordination, visual function, and overall eye health.
At InVision Eyecare, we provide eye care for the whole family, from pediatric patients to adults and seniors.
How Does an Eye Doctor Monitor Myopia?
One of the most useful ways to understand changes in childhood myopia is to monitor your child's vision over time.
During an eye examination, your optometrist can consider factors such as:
- Your child's age
- Current prescription
- Changes in their prescription over time
- Family history of myopia
- Visual habits
- Time spent outdoors
- Overall eye health
Keeping track of these changes gives your eye doctor a better understanding of how your child's vision is developing and whether additional evaluation or care may be appropriate.
FAQ
Is myopia only a concern if my child's prescription is very strong?
- No. Myopia can begin with a relatively mild prescription and change as a child grows. Regular eye exams allow your optometrist to monitor changes in vision and eye health over time.
Can screen time cause myopia?
- The relationship between screen use, prolonged near work, and myopia is complex. Regardless, children benefit from taking regular breaks during close-up activities and maintaining a healthy balance between screen-based activities and outdoor time.
How often should children have an eye exam?
- The appropriate frequency depends on your child's age, vision, eye health, prescription, and individual needs. Your optometrist can recommend an examination schedule that is appropriate for your child.
Does my child need an eye exam if they passed a school vision screening?
- Yes. A school vision screening does not replace a comprehensive eye examination. A complete eye exam allows an optometrist to evaluate vision, focusing, eye coordination, prescription, and overall eye health.
Can my child wear contact lenses if they are nearsighted?
- Some children may be good candidates for contact lenses depending on their age, maturity, prescription, and ability to properly care for their lenses. InVision Eyecare provides contact lens exams and can assess whether contact lenses are appropriate for your child.
Help Your Child See Clearly as They Grow
Clear vision is important for reading, learning, sports, and everyday activities. If your child is squinting, struggling to see the board, sitting unusually close to screens, or repeatedly needing stronger glasses, an eye exam can help determine what is changing.
At InVision Eyecare, our Lethbridge eye doctors provide comprehensive eye care for the entire family, including pediatric eye care. Our team uses current technology to evaluate vision and eye health and help patients maintain healthy eyes at every stage of life.
Concerned about changes in your child's vision?
- Call InVision Eyecare: 403-329-0200
- Visit Us: 106-2045 Mayor Magrath Dr S, Lethbridge, AB T1K 2S2
- Location: College Centre Mall
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM; Sunday closed.
- Schedule an Appointment: Use the Book Appointment option on the InVision Eyecare website.