Why Do So Many Kids Need Glasses Now?

According to eye doctors, children are becoming more likely to need glasses earlier in life nowadays. In recent years, it has become a common problem. Canada has seen an increase in the number of children who require glasses at an earlier age than ever before. What can be the reason? The shared opinion of ophthalmologists is that it is something kids do at school and at home. Although it is hard to pinpoint the exact reason, here we have compiled a list of possible reasons for this issue.

Genetics can be One Factor

Genetics is responsible for the majority of typical visual issues. Several studies have revealed that children born to myopic (short-sighted) parents are much more likely to develop myopia. It is also true for parents with hyperopia (long-sightedness), as both refractive disorders are caused by inherited genetic factors. A person has a one in three probability of developing myopia if they have two near-sighted parents. Nevertheless, there are also cases in which neither of the parents has a vision problem, yet the child develops it.

Screens are Considered a Prime Cause

Screen time is causing more problems with kids’ and teenagers’ eyesight due to the increasing amount of time spent in front of the screen. Experts say kids are experiencing several eye problems due to smaller screens and increased usage of electronic devices. It is still early in the research process to determine the long-term effects of extended screen time on children. Most digital devices emit wavelengths of light that are harmful to the retina. Blue light damages the retina, which is cumulative over time and myopia progression is linked to being indoors.

Spending More Time Indoors

Partially screens are responsible for kids staying indoors for a longer time. All while not participating in outdoor activities as enthusiastically as before. The researchers discovered that artificial light interferes with normal vision. Indoor lighting can deceive the cells into believing that the eye is focusing when it isn’t because it has a lot of contrast in the red-green region of the spectrum. Myopia is the outcome of the cells telling the retina to keep expanding as a result of this. Exposure to sunlight may play a role. Spending more time outdoors prevents the need for glasses.

 

How to know if you need to buy kids glasses? An eye check-up is highly recommended, but some signs appear when your child has vision problems – look closely. If you observe the following signs in your child, you should know that they need eyeglasses:

If your child squints, they may have a refractive error, affecting their ability to focus on images.

Your kid might cover one eye or tilts their head to adjust the angle of vision to increase clarity.

The eyes may be overworked to sharpen blurry vision if your child complains of eye pain or headaches at the end of the day.

It is important to have your child’s eyes examined as soon as possible if you notice any of the above signs in them. The experts recommend that children have an eye examination at least once a year. To buy prescribed eyeglasses for your kids, visit Lens & Frames Optical; we sell high-quality kid’s glasses in Cambridge, ON. Read our informative article “Optician Vs Optometrist” to understand the difference between different eye care providers.