Short Sight Correction

“Short sight” is a casual term for the medical condition known as ‘MYOPIA.’ Initially, when I learned my son had short sight, I wasn’t concerned. It seemed common and harmless, right?

Common? Yes.

Harmless? No.

Myopia (short sight) is directly linked to eye diseases later in life. In essence, the higher the Myopia (indicated by Dioptre number e.g., -5.00D, -6.00D), the greater the risk of serious conditions like retinal detachments, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration for your child in the future.

This is a serious matter. To reiterate: Higher Myopia increases the risk of eye diseases later in life.

WHAT IS MYOPIA?

Myopia causes the eye to elongate, making the retina more prone to degeneration. If we liken the eye to a camera, the retina serves as the film, capturing images. Damage to the retina can lead to irreversible vision loss that cannot be corrected with glasses or surgery. In severe cases, it may result in partial sight or blindness.

MYOPIA PROGRESSION & MYOPIA CONTROL

Your optician should alert you if your child’s eyesight deteriorates by more than 0.5D in a year—a sign of Myopia Progression. At this stage, it’s crucial to consider Myopia Control measures, which include Myopia Control glasses, Myopia control day lenses, and Myopia control night lenses (featured on this site).

The positive news is that Myopia can now be mitigated in children using night lenses and other Myopia Control methods. When we started my son on night lenses at 13, he was -3.75D and -4.00D. Now, at 16, his Myopia has stabilized. As a parent, opting for night lenses was the best decision I made for him. Not only does he have improved vision and quality of life, but he also has a reduced risk of eye disease later in life by approximately 40% (Source: Scotlens). In the Myopia Control section of this site, you’ll find stories like Jaimin’s son, who stabilized at -2.00D with night lenses starting at age 10. The takeaway: Starting Myopia control early is crucial.

For more information on Myopia Control, Myopia Progression, and success stories with night lenses, visit the provided links.

[Click Here] for more info on Myopia Control, Myopia Progression, and stories like my son’s.

[Click Here] to visit myopiacontrolawareness.org for general advice to parents and insights into Myopia and children.