Nearsightedness (Myopia) (for Parents) – Nemours Kidshealth

What Is Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness (myopia) is a vision trouble that can make it hard to see distant objects plainly.

What Are the Indications & Signs or symptoms of Nearsightedness?

Little ones with nearsightedness may:

• have blurred vision when hunting at points that are not shut to them
• keep guides, toys, or other objects nearer to their face than regular
• squint their eyes or blink a ton
• have issues examining phrases on a chalkboard at college

What Triggers Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness happens when light-weight that enters the eye focuses in entrance of the retina in its place of instantly on it. This results in blurry vision in the length.

It happens more generally in college-age young children, in particular preteens and teens. Nearsightedness can operate in households.

How Is Nearsightedness Diagnosed?

An eye health practitioner can tell if your little one is nearsighted. They will do a plan test that ordinarily features:

• asking about symptoms
• using a household professional medical historical past
• applying dilating eye drops to fully open the pupils
• analyzing the eyes

How Is Nearsightedness Taken care of?

The eye health practitioner will prescribe eyeglasses or get hold of lenses to help your little one see plainly.

How Can Parents Assist?

To help choose treatment of your child’s eyes:

• Get eyeglasses (or get hold of lenses if recommended). Let your little one help select the frames. Plastic frames and polycarbonate lenses are finest for young young children.
• Assist with get hold of lenses. If your little one is previous more than enough and the eye health practitioner thinks contacts are a excellent alternative, help your little one abide by all guidance on sporting and cleaning them.
• Go to abide by-up visits with the eye health practitioner.
• Converse with your health practitioner about myopia management. New procedure options can help sluggish the development of myopia in little ones.
• Simply call the health practitioner if your little one has new symptoms, such as:
  • complications or eye ache
  • blurry vision when sporting eyeglasses or contacts
  • viewing flashing lights or floating places
  • any decline of vision
• If your little one wears contacts, get in touch with the health practitioner for symptoms this kind of as:
  • eye ache or redness
  • higher sensitivity to light-weight
  • itchy or dry eyes that do not get better with eye drops