My whole family is myopic, should I have my child checked?
The presence of myopia in the whole family represents a risk factor for the child to develop this refractive disorder. If both parents are myopic, the child is eight times more likely to become myopic, compared to a child whose parents do not have this visual disorder.
Dr Pierre-François Kaeser, a lecturer and clinical researcher, director of the paediatric strabology and ophthalmology unit, explains the best practices to adopt to avoid vision problems for your children.
How can I detect myopia in children?
Myopia is a deformity of the eye. As this is too long, it affects far vision and causes blurred vision when looking into the distance. The child’s vision is clear at close range. However, the child will need to bring objects closer together in order to maintain good vision.
In cases of myopia in the child’s family, it is recommended to carry out a check-up earlier than in other children.
To begin with, the paediatrician can do screening tests. If in doubt, a check-up with the ophthalmologist may be proposed. There are different degrees of myopia. An eye examination will make it possible to evaluate them and offer suitable optical correction to the child.
What are the risk factors for this eye disorder?
The risk of becoming myopic has much more to do with the environment than genetics.
The two important factors are:
Daylight: Sunlight helps synthesise vitamin D. When the brain is deprived of vitamin D, it secretes less dopamine. As a result, the eye will grow abnormally. Parents should recommend that their children spend a minimum of one hour a day in natural light.
The use of screens: Excessive close-up work is a major factor in this vision problem. Since the arrival of screens in children’s daily lives, we often see them holding their screen 10 cm from their eyes. These screens only require near vision, and intense light promotes eye fatigue. It is therefore advisable to keep a distance of 30 to 40 cm between the face and the object when reading or using screens, so as not to over-stimulate near vision. Indeed, this could lead to an increased risk of developing myopia.
Find out more about myopia
Do you want to learn more about this condition that prevents your child from being able to see distant objects clearly? Do you want to know if your child will need to wear glasses? Please visit our myopia page for more information.
What other vision problems should I be aware of and have checked?
It is not always easy to detect a vision problem in toddlers. Does your child show signs of visual fatigue? Does he complain of headaches or migraines? Does he feel eye discomfort? If in doubt, please do not hesitate to consult our pages on astigmatism, hyperopia, glaucoma, amblyopia, or strabismus.