Hours on books, digital devices and little time outdoors: the start of the school year brings attention back to the visual health of young people. Research identifies various risk factors and today also offers tools to intervene on the progression of myopia.
Backpacks, notebooks, books, tablets and smartphones. With the return to school, the long day for children’s eyes also begins again, more and more often engaged in close-up activities for many hours. It is not an irrelevant detail, especially while the myopia in children continues to increase in many parts of the world. But attributing everything to screens would be a simplification. The research describes a more complex phenomenon, in which they intervene genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Among these, time spent outdoors seems to play a particularly important role. The problem with smartphones, therefore, is not just the screen itself, but also what it can replace: movement, natural light and remote activity. In fact, international indications invite us to regularly interrupt close-up activities and to guarantee children adequate time outdoors during the day. It doesn’t mean eliminating tablets and phones, which are now also part of teaching, but preventing them from becoming the main free time activity. The start of school is also a good time for a vision check. Squinting to see the blackboard, getting too close to books, complaining of difficulty seeing from afar or headaches after studying can be signs of a vision problem.
Myopia: it’s not enough to see well, you also need to slow it down
For years the path was simple: the child became short-sighted, wore glasses and the prescription was changed when necessary. Today the concept has changed. The question is not just how much the child sees, but how quickly myopia is increasing. The reason is that as the myopic eye grows, it tends to lengthen. The earlier myopia appears and reaches high levels, the greater the risk of certain eye diseases in subsequent years may be. This is where the concept of management of myopiawhich includes different strategies: specific ophthalmic lenses, some contact lenses, orthokeratology and, in certain cases, pharmacological treatments. Among the solutions studied there are soft contact lenses designed not only to correct vision, but also to slow down myopic progression through particular optical designs. Clinical trials on some of these lenses have shown a reduction in progression compared to single vision lenses, although treatment does not eliminate myopia or ensure that the prescription remains stable. It is in this area of research that the new lens, for example, also fits MyDay MiSight 1 day by CooperVisionwhich combines ActivControl optical technology with silicone hydrogel. The scientific interest mainly concerns the expansion of the possibilities for the management of myopia, combining the principle of progression control with features designed for daily use. The lens is daily and also integrates a UV filter, which however does not replace the protection offered by sunglasses. «For a long time, contact lenses were considered above all a practical or, at most, aesthetic choice. Today, however, when we talk about children and young people, the point is broader. Myopia is not a simple visual defect to be corrected, but a condition that can progress over time and which deserves attention from the early stages», he observes Paolo NucciFull Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Milan. «When myopia appears early, the problem is not to find a simple alternative to glasses, but to choose a solution that has a solid clinical rationale and that can really be followed in the daily life of a child or young person. «For this reason it is important to have tools that combine evidence of effectiveness in controlling progression with important characteristics of use in this age group, such as comfort, good oxygen transmissibility, ease of management and simplicity of daily use». The evolution of silicone hydrogel daily lenses with technology to control myopia also fits into this framework. A novelty that expands the possibilities available, but which must be considered for what it is: one of the possible toolsto be chosen based on the characteristics of the individual child and always within a path followed by the ophthalmologist.
Contact lenses for children: safety first
For a child, in fact, the question is not only finding an effective solution, but also a solution that he can use correctly. Contact lenses and childhood are not incompatible: maturity, motivation, ability to respect hygiene rules and the presence of parents matter. Daily lenses can simplify management because they are used once and then discarded, but they do not eliminate precautions. Clean and dry handsno contact with water, no use during sleep unless intended and watch out for pain, redness or changes in vision. In these cases the lens must be removed and the child must be evaluated. Protection from ultraviolet rays must also be interpreted correctly: a UV filter integrated into the lens does not replace sunglasses, because it does not protect the entire surface of the eye and the surrounding areas. In the end, however, the most important question is not choosing between glasses and contact lenses. AND intercept myopia early and follow its evolution. Upon returning to school, this means checking their eyesight, interrupting prolonged close-up activities and, above all, bringing an adequate amount of time outdoors back into the children’s day. Technology can offer new possibilities, but it does not replace the clinical path. Because the real challenge is not just helping a child see well today, but slow down, when possible, what could affect your vision tomorrow.
