Welcome to our first post of the week as we celebrate and make people more aware of National Eye Health Week. Today, we’re going to start with Myopia.
Some of you may have children who attend their routine sight test already, and may know of certain eye conditions. Myopia has become a rapidly talked about subject around children’s eyecare. Myopia is where you cannot see objects in the far distance, which also means short sightedness. The eyeball occurs to be longer from front to back, meaning the light will focus in front of the retina and not on it.
You may find that your child is sitting closer to the TV, find it difficult reading signs in the distance or having more headaches. Recent studies have found that children are becoming short sighted quicker than usual. Nowadays, a lot of schoolwork is done via the use of tablets and computers, meaning more time is spent on handheld devices.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Myopia, but the progression can be slowed. Research suggests that the use of prescription glasses, contact lenses orthokeratology lenses can reduce the rate of myopia up to 60%, which is also known as Myopia Management.
There are many ways in which we can reduce the rate of Myopia, one golden rule is the 20:20:20 rule. So, every 20 minutes you’ve or your child is working with a screen, look 20 metres into the distance for 20 seconds. We would also advise parents to encourage their children to limit the amount of screen time, taking breaks with close-up tasks and encourage at least 2 hours of outdoor play a day.
Hawley Optical offer Essilor Stellest lenses to help with Myopia Management. This lens has been proven to slow the rate of Myopia a child can experience. Anyone under 16 are entitled to an NHS voucher which helps towards to the cost of their spectacles. Our £45 range are FREE to children who qualify for an NHS voucher. Worried about your child’s vision? Enquire in store today and book their next eye test with us.
Want more information on Essilor Stellest lenses? Follow the link for more!
Stellest | Why Stellest may be the right lens for myopic children (essilor.com)
Hawley Optical – Vision Redefined