Supporting your child's wellbeing and vision

Myopia is a global concern

The incidence of myopia is expected to increase significantly as lifestyle changes, with children taking part in more near-work activities like using digital devices, studying, reading and spending less time outdoors. Hereditary, behavioural and environmental factors also play a part.

Being able to have your child’s myopia diagnosed early not only corrects their vision now, but can help slow the progression of myopia and preserve their vision and eye health for the future.

Image of children wearing classes within a classroom

What is myopia?

Nothing is more important than the health and wellbeing of your child, now and in the future, you want to see your child thrive and that’s the key: seeing. You may have noticed your child struggling to see clearly at a distance, making it harder to concentrate at school and have a fulfilling experience at play. Your child may have myopia.

Image of children wearing classes within a classroom

Our latest research has found:

  • 67% of parents agree that everyday tasks like cleaning teeth and wearing glasses are key to improving their child’s self esteem
  • Seven in 10 think it’s important to learn about how to boost and stimulate their child’s wellbeing
  • Almost half (45%) of parents don’t know that undetected vision problems can lead to isolation
  • 38% have never taken their child for an eye test

 

Of the 1,000 parents polled 37 per cent of their children wear glasses

  • Almost seven in 10 (69%) struggle to get them to wear their spectacles
  • Even though two in 10 consider this a top priority
  • The fact that none of their friends wear specs (61%), finding them uncomfortable (60%) and having been teased in the past (52%) are top reasons for the struggle.
  • Almost four in 10 (39%) even like to turn it into a game of ‘who can wear their glasses for the longest’, with 85% finding these measures successful.

 

Supporting your child's wellbeing and vision

Spend time outdoors.

Research showed that spending time outdoors may reduce risk of myopia and its progression.

 

Seek regular eye care.

Make sure that your child has regular eye examinations to ensure that myopia or other vision problems are detected and treated early, reducing the worsening of vision, myopia progression and potential complications of high myopia.

 

Take regular breaks.

Reduce your child’s eye strain by reminding him or her to take breaks from intensive screen time or near-work.

What experts say...

Professor Kathryn J Saunders, Optometry Division Head at Ulster University, said: “Parents invest a lot of time and energy in making sure their children are healthy and happy and a key component of wellbeing for those who need glasses is making sure the glasses are worn.


“Obviously, wearing glasses is also important to ensure that vision is as good as possible now and over the long-term. Researchers have also proven a clear relationship between being short-sighted and spending less time outdoors in childhood*. There’s no better time than the new school term to have a fresh focus on encouraging children to put down their phones or tablets and get outdoors.”

 

* https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.62.5.3 (assessed in April 2021)

Myopia can be managed not only corrected

Myopia is best managed early on to avoid long term issues.

Today, in most cases, myopia is corrected with standard single vision spectacle lenses providing clear and sharp vision. However, they do not help with slowing down the progression of myopia.

 

That's why MiYOSMART spectacle lenses were developed...

Make an appointment with your local Eye Care Professional and ask about MiYOSMART spectacle lenses

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1 Brien Holden Vision Institute; 2 Shanghai Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment Center https://guidelines.brienholdenvision.org, accessed 16.08.1018.

2 Lam CSY, Tang WC, Lee RPK, Chun RKM, To CH. A randomized clinical trial for myopia control – use of myopic defocus spectacle lens. 8th International Congress of Behavioral Optometry (ICBO), 26- 29 of April 2018. Sydney, Australia. 8Sankaridurg P1, Tilia D1, Morton M1, Weng R1, Jong M1, Zhu F2. Guidelines for Myopia Management.