Parents will want to be aware of a concerning eye health trend that’s emerged in the past few years: rising cases of short-sightedness across the globe. In the UK alone, myopia rates doubled in the last five decades. Certain ethnicities are also at risk. In particular, those of Chinese descent are 240% more likely to develop myopia than their Caucasian counterparts.
Ultimately, though, kids are the most vulnerable to this trend. Their eyes are still developing, meaning they’re more impressionable, can elongate, and eventually become short-sighted due to near work. Such activities include reading, studying, and using digital devices for prolonged periods, which often make up most of the tasks in a child’s daily routine. If left untreated, they can lead to more serious conditions that can cause permanent eye damage.
Fortunately, adverse vision outcomes can be prevented if you take the right precautions. Here’s what you can do if you feel your child has myopia.
Watch out for these signs
Being observant can help you determine how likely it is your child has myopia. At home, check if they sit too close to the TV or hold reading materials near their face to see them clearly. Excessive eye rubbing and squinting may also signal that they’re having difficulty seeing things further away. Meanwhile, you can get in touch with their school and ask if your child finds it challenging to play sports or see the board at the front of the classroom.
Of course, you can also ask them directly if they’re experiencing any of the above symptoms. They can also tell you if their eyes feel tired, strained, or irritated. All these things can indicate they have myopia, so you’ll want to move on to the next step:
Book an eye exam
If the above symptoms have you worried that your child has myopia, book a consultation with an optometrist. This professional can conduct a dedicated eye test for kids that can check not for short-sightedness but other refractive errors like amblyopia (lazy eye), astigmatism, and farsightedness.
Your child can get examined in school, but it’s better to be proactive and immediately get them assessed by an optometrist at home or from a high street chain like Boots Opticians. Note that if they’re under 16 or under 18 but in full-time education, they can get free eye tests from these places courtesy of the NHS. The exam will give you a prescription you can use for the following tip.
Purchase corrective aids
Glasses are crucial for ensuring your child has clear vision and an improved quality of life. Yet though the NHS also offers optical vouchers to purchase them, the Association of Optometry notes they’re not enough to cover eye care and eyewear expenses in the ongoing cost of living crisis.
If you’re in a tight spot, it can thus be worth opting for online stores to buy affordable glasses frames. You can look at Glasses Direct for a good idea of what you can get. With a copy of your child’s prescription, you can get corrective glasses for less than £10 and discount codes that allow you to get a second pair—useful for rowdy and clumsy kids—as well as free home trials and lengthy return periods. Such sites allow you to save an average of £103 versus the high street, making it easier to immediately give your child the eye care they need without breaking the bank.
Prevent myopia progression
After procuring corrective glasses for your child, it’s vital to ensure their myopia doesn’t worsen. The first and most significant step you can take is to be a health advocate for their eyesight and take them for regular eye exams. Just like a general check-up, frequent sight tests allow optometrists to track the progression of your child’s short-sightedness, spot further complications early, and give them the best treatment possible.
However, monitoring your child’s screen time will also be essential given how prevalent gadget use is today. Encouraging alternative activities can be especially helpful if they involve time in nature. Even an additional 76 minutes outdoors each day can reduce the risk of myopia development by 50% and help your child ward off further vision issues as they age.
With a few simple steps, parents can prevent their kids from experiencing the worst of myopia. Keep reading on ET Speaks From Home for more insights on family life.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.