Early Signs of Myopia in Children

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common visual impairment that often starts early on.

Refractive errors, like nearsightedness and farsightedness, hinder your ability to see clearly. However, nearsightedness is the most common of any refractive error caused by the length of the eyeball or problems with the cornea.

Over 40 percent of Americans have myopia. It typically develops at an early age, worsens through one’s teenage years, and stabilizes near adulthood. Detecting early signs of myopia in children and getting appropriate ophthalmic lenses to address the issue can play a key role in the future of their eyesight.

Myopia in Children

Many children hide their vision problems to avoid having to wear ophthalmic lenses. Some back-to-school physicals may include basic eye exams. However, your child's myopia can change over a year between these exams.

Myopia results when the shape of your child's eyeball changes, and the light entering it focuses in front of the retina instead of focusing on it. This causes far-away objects to look blurry, while nearer objects are easier to focus on.

We do not fully understand or have a definitive answer as to why myopia happens. However, we know it can be inherited from a parent. Myopia can be very subtle in children and often difficult to identify. However, vision problems typically start between the ages of 6 and 12.

Regular eye exams are important at this age, and there are some early signs of myopia in children, which you can look out for.

Early Signs of Myopia in Children

Here is how you can tell your child has myopia, especially if they are not eager to get ophthalmic lenses.

· Frequent Headaches

Your child may complain about frequent headaches - a common sign of myopia.

· Holding Things Close to the Face

Your child may hold a tablet, book, or any object with written text closer to their face than usual to get a clear view.

· Decline in Performance

Often myopia in children, who hide their problems, leads to worsening school grades and athletic performance. Many children will even withdraw from these activities because they find it difficult to focus on things.

· Sitting Closer to Screens

Similarly, they may sit closer to the TV or monitor to get better visuals.

· Squinting While Reading

Your child’s myopia may cause them to squint more than usual while they read things that are relatively far away or smaller.

· Watery Eyes

Your child may experience excess watering in their eyes for no apparent reason.

· Rubbing Eyes

They may even rub their eyes frequently throughout the day.

Conclusion

If your child exhibits these signs, chances are they are nearsighted, and you should get an eye exam done to eliminate the possibility. If they do have myopia, early detection, regular eye exams, and the use of ophthalmic lenses can help address their problem and avoid further degradation of their eyesight.

Regular outdoor activities are also recommended because daily exposure to natural light is linked to protecting against worsening myopia in children.

If you want to learn more about early signs of myopia in children or the best ophthalmic lens solutions for your child or business, please visit our website today.