Children's glasses

Welsh poppy
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Are there special lenses for kids glasses that slow down myopia
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Yes, there are special lenses designed specifically for children to slow down the progression of myopia (nearsightedness). These are different from standard single-vision lenses, which only correct vision but don’t affect how quickly myopia progresses.

Here are the main types of myopia control lenses for kids:
1. Defocus Spectacle Lenses
These are specially designed eyeglass lenses that incorporate zones of “myopic defocus” to slow eye growth.

Popular Brands:

MiYOSMART by Hoya

Stellest by Essilor

How They Work:
They correct central vision while providing peripheral defocus, which helps to slow the elongation of the eyeball—a key cause of myopia progression.

Effectiveness:
Clinical studies show they can reduce myopia progression by around 50-60% in children.

I would do anything to protect my child’s vision. Our son (now 40) was born prematurely at 33 weeks. We had no idea that being born early could increase the risk of myopia and retinal problems. He is very short-sighted and has recently suffered a retinal detachment. He is at the very earliest age to have this; it’s more common in over 50s. It seems as though his myopia and premature birth could have caused his retinal weakness. I can’t remember any special glasses being available in the 80s/90s, but I’d certainly buy them now if I could protect his eyesight. Our son’s opticians never mentioned the risk or symptoms of retinal detachment to him. To make matters worse, he was on holiday in Spain and had to fly home with no sight in one eye, since surgery there would have prevented him from flying afterwards.
I imagine that most people have no idea of the connection with severe myopia and premature birth.

Go to a different opticians.

I would find the money and pay.
However, I am sure if these lenses where the ultimate answer they would be on the NHS.
Might be worth seeing how the child gets on with, their glasses before getting these lenses. I have worn glasses since I was 5 years old. Never broke any of them...

If she really needs them and you can afford, how about waiting until she gets used to having glasses and looks after them for about 6 month, or the life of the first prescription and then if that goes well, offering then?

Luckygirl3

I thought children's glasses were still free on the NHS - am I dreaming?

Lickygirl13 - Children’s glasses are still free on the NHS, but you can (&options will often push for) more expensive designer frames and tints etc

Short sight can be hereditary but it's increasingly common in children who spend a lot of time staring at screens. Combat it by encouraging them to spot things in the distance while outside e.g. a bird on a rooftop, a plane in the sky, a tall chimney, a cloud that looks like something etc. Never look directly at the sun!

My six year old grandson needs glasses. He’s a very active child, breaks and loses. The optician is very helpful. I’d find an alternative.

there are special lenses but I'm not sure if the case to pay for them is proven. You need to do some research as other opticians may not charge as much.

I suggest you go to another optician. Or speak to your GP, tell him the story and ask for referral to a Hospital eye clinic.

KateCan2015

My granddaughter started wearing glasses aged 5 and for the last 2 years since age 8 she has been wearing these prescription contact lenses. It means that she will not be so shortsighted as she grows up. The research is very clear about this. She looks after them herself, puts them in and takes them out completely by herself and maintains good eye hygiene. She loves wearing them every day, all day. She has had no problems at all.

What a great girl. You must be proud, she sounds so responsible.

My granddaughter started wearing glasses aged 5 and for the last 2 years since age 8 she has been wearing these prescription contact lenses. It means that she will not be so shortsighted as she grows up. The research is very clear about this. She looks after them herself, puts them in and takes them out completely by herself and maintains good eye hygiene. She loves wearing them every day, all day. She has had no problems at all.

My son's adventure with all things eyes started at two, glasses, patches and surgery. I remember apologising to his Consultant about needing yet another prescription to replace broken glasses. He said never apologise about a child who wears their glasses as the ones to worry about are the ones who turn up with six months old glasses that look brand new probably because they are never worn. So if a child loses or breaks them I would not complain.

Eyesight is precious, all the pain and anguish was worth it with my son when his eyesight was good enough for him to be discharged after nearly ten years of treatment, two operations and sometimes weekly visits to hospital ( the cost of travel and lost hours at work added up.)

If I could beg borrow or steal the money to safeguard my child/grandchild sight I'd do it without a second thought, well hopefully not steal.

Jdotj myopia is just the medical term for shortsighted

There are now lenses to help stop myopia deteriorating in a child and I think we should embrace this and be glad of it.

But the cost is prohibitive and means only children of rich parents can access this. This does not seem right - but I also understand the NHS cannot fund everything.

As a short sighted child/teenager (prescription of -6), there were four choices of frame colours for children back then; black, blue, pink , or tortoiseshell. My mum insisted I have the tortoiseshell frames as, she said, 'they went with whatever I was wearing'. I longed for the pink frames.

I thought it was the shape of the eye that caused myopia and no amount of 'special lenses' on a pair of glasses would slow down what is, in effect', already there. What do I know with this new fangled technology.

Anyway, over 30 years ago after many years of contact lens wearing (I was far too vain back then to wear my thick lens glasses as I got older), I underwent laser surgery to 'cure' my short-sightedness.

One of the best decisions I ever made.

Why does it matter if a child is short-sighted? Very many of them are. They just wear normal prescription glasses and get on with life.

It's a good thing glasses for chidlren were free when mine were small - one of them got through a pair a week to begin with - she was 2.

I just looked it up - test is free and voucher towards basic lenses. You can't get these specialised lenses on the NHS.

I thought children's glasses were still free on the NHS - am I dreaming?

My new glasses, with expensive lenses, were insured through Boots when I bought them, for a nominal fee.

If you go for a cheap standard frame you can have the lenses reset if the frame gets broken.

She might not like those though!

Id never heard of these, so took to the Internet. It took three pages before I got to anything that wasn’t a link to businesses selling these lenses.

This is what I found out.

Myopia continues to worsen till the early to mid twenties

Extreme early myopia can lead to other eye problems later in life

The glasses do appear to slow myopia in children but I couldn’t find any hard evidence to what extent or as to long term benefits.
At the moment the long term benefit seems to be theoretical.

The glasses slow the development of myopia. They don’t prevent it or cure it. They are believed to make it less worse than it would have been.

Of course that’s a judgement because you can’t know how much the eyes would have deteriorated without the glasses. You can only compare two groups, one with the glasses and ne without, to reach your conclusion that the glasses worked.
I couldn’t find any studies on this.

Presumably they are a relatively new innovation so future studies may prove their benefits.

If you decide to go for them perhaps check if they are covered for damage under the household insurance or even with your credit card.

That's interesting about those lenses for myiopa Sago.
They would certainly be worth it to slow down the condition in a child, as well as being beneficial for school life.
I'm not surprised they are costly, but maybe prices will come down after a while as they become more widespread.
How old is your DGD WelshPoppy? If she is often careless, could her new glasses with trendy frames be regarded as a fashion accessory? Then she will take better care of them?

I’d try at least one other optician to compare prices, as you would with other purchases.