Myopia Progression in Kids

What is Myopia?

Myopia is also called near-sightedness. It means a person can see close objects well but cannot see clearly things in the distance without glasses or contact lenses. How far away a person can see without glasses depends on how severe the myopia is. Nearsightedness is common. About 30% of all people have myopia but is up to 49% worldwide. It usually starts during the school-age years.

What causes myopia?

Doctors are not sure what causes myopia. It is often hereditary. Some research has shown prolonged reading or near work and reduced amounts of outdoor time are associated with myopia.

Can myopia be prevented?

There is no way at this time to prevent myopia, but recent studies have shown there may be ways to slow its progression. Wearing glasses does not seem to affect the myopia or its development.

1. Increase daylight exposure
2. Reduce prolonged intense periods of near work
3. MiSight 1-day soft lenses are the first FDA approved soft contact lens to slow the progression of myopia. Over a 3 year period, MiSight® 1 day slowed the progression of myopia in children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment by 59% on average, and 41% of eyes had no progression.*1
4. Use diluted atropine eyedrops: Atropine 0.01% slows myopia progression by at least 50%. Atropine in higher concentrations also slows progression but also can cause pupil dilation, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. Atropine 0.01% solution causes minimal pupil dilation, no light sensitivity, and no near visual loss compared with higher doses. The treatment time period in published studies was 2-3 years, but it may require longer period of time since the eyes are still growing through the teenage years. Make sure to use atropine under a doctor’s guidance.
5. Orthokeratology (OrthoK): Wearing reverse geometry contact lenses overnight temporarily flattens the cornea and provides clear vision during the day without glasses or contact lenses. Reduction in myopia (up to −6 D) can be achieved, but it is not clear whether the effect is sustained after stopping the OrthoK. A few studies have shown permanent changes consistent with reduced myopia. Unfortunately, sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk of bacterial corneal infection which can be very serious and cause scarring and permanent visual impairment.

How is myopia treated?

Depending on the age of the child and the severity of the myopia, glasses are usually the first treatment. Young children usually handle myopia well and most often do not require glasses because most of their world is in arm's reach. By school age, distance vision becomes more important and myopia more disabling. Children with myopia often wear glasses only for reading the blackboard and remove them when reading books or playing. This is OK. Myopia usually increases through the late teenage years and glasses often become more necessary as a child becomes older.

What about contact lenses?

Once a child is wearing glasses most of the time, contact lenses are a reasonable option. They require motivation on the part of the parent and the child. There is no magic age at which contacts become "OK". In general, when a child is old enough to remember to brush their teeth every night without being reminded and clean their room without being told, they probably are responsible enough to care for contact lenses.

We are certified providers in CooperVision’s Brilliant Futures™ Myopia Management Program. The cornerstone of this comprehensive approach to myopia management in pediatric patients is the MiSight® 1 day contact lens – the first and only contact lens approved by the FDA to slow myopia progression in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.1

The correlation between increasing myopia and potentially vision-threatening complications later in life is well established and is a growing concern for both eye care practitioners and parents worldwide.2 Here in the United States, the rate of myopia occurrence has increased from 25% to 42% over the last two generations.3 This is due to a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors.