What do parents need to know about myopia?

With back-to-school in full swing, many parents are focusing on how to set their children up for success in the new term. With 80% of what is taught in schools being presented visually, getting your child’s eyes examined can completely elevate their school experience.  

A common vision struggle in the classroom is myopia, also known as nearsightedness. While the term ‘nearsightedness’ may not be overly concerning to some, the younger the age of myopia onset, the higher the risk of increased levels of myopia. Untreated myopia can lead to severe vision loss.   

“Early detection can slow progression and in extreme cases save your child from permanent vision loss down the road,” said Dr. Pravjit Kaur Atwal, optometrist practicing at an independent clinic located within Specsavers, Coquitlam. “Frequent eye checkups can help prevent, detect, and manage eye conditions like myopia and other underlying health concerns. Myopia progression can now be managed in numerous ways, sometimes this will involve glasses or contact lenses, other times this may involve eye drops – and it is something that should be managed and monitored closely by an optometrist.”  

What can parents do?  

If your child has myopia, then they may complain about difficulty seeing into the distance, headaches, eye strain, and even fatigue. Other times, they may not complain about anything at all as it can be difficult for children to know their vision is any different than those around them. However, there are signs parents can look for including eye rubbing, squinting, or lack of concentration. In any case, an eye exam is the only way to determine whether your child’s vision is impaired.   

Myopia is most concerning for young children as they have the most to grow and, thus, they are at risk for the greatest progression and future complications. Children with myopia are more likely to develop potentially sight-threatening conditions of the eye in later life such as retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.  

“There are some lifestyle changes that can help to slow down the progression of myopia”, said Dr. Atwal. “There is evidence to suggest that spending more time outdoors, reducing screen time, and ensuring proper lighting and vitamin D levels can make a difference. However, once myopia begins in a child, intervention is needed to manage it in most cases.”  

Children under the age of 18 can have a comprehensive eye exam with costs covered by provincial healthcare for eligible patients. All clinics located within Specsavers locations are equipped with the latest imaging and clinical technology for comprehensive eye exams, with optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology. The OCT scan allows optometrists to thoroughly assess eye health and detect some of the conditions that can be caused by myopia.  

*Annual routine eye exams are an insured benefit in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario for children (AB/BC: aged 18 and younger; ON: aged 19 and younger), and seniors aged 65 and older, subject to certain restrictions. For an eye exam to be covered by the provincial health care plans in Alberta, British Columbia, or Ontario, all patients must meet the generally applicable eligibility requirements for coverage. Patients not covered by their provincial health care plan must pay for the cost of the eye exam. Eye exams are provided by independent optometrists.