A survey of 1000 parents in the UK has revealed a serious lack of understanding around myopia in children. Indeed, 94% of parents of myopic children wrongly believe that wearing glasses will solve the problem.
Myopia, or short-sightedness, is predicted to impact half of the world’s population and a staggering one billion people are predicted to have high myopia by 2050.
Higher degrees of myopia pose a greater risk of ocular complications that may lead to visual impairment or even blindness later in life. However, the earlier myopia is detected and managed in a child, the greater the chance progression can be slowed down with simple lifestyle changes and by wearing special myopia control glasses or contact lenses available from your local optician.
A media release supporting the Ipsos survey, which was commissioned by Essilor, said the poll highlighted huge gaps in knowledge, including:
- The vast majority of parents of myopic children (94%) wrongly believe that having their myopic child wear glasses or contact lenses solves the problem.
- Half (54%) of the parents questioned, including those without myopic children, were unaware that “the earlier myopia starts, the faster it progresses and the more serious it can become”.
- And almost half (48%) of all parents were aware that very short-sighted people have an increased risk of sight-threatening eye complications, with the same amount (48%) unaware that myopia is progressing faster today than in previous generations.
- Of the factors that may be associated with myopia, 56% of all parents did not know that lack of exposure to natural light was one of them.
- In fact, almost two thirds of all parents (61%) admitted to finding it increasingly difficult to know exactly what to do to ensure that their child is and remains in good health.
Ms Charlotte Timbury, dispensing optician and director of medical & professional affairs for EssilorLuxottica North Europe said: “It’s evident that many parents and even those whose children are myopic, lack accurate information about myopia.
“Worryingly, many think that simply making their child wear glasses with corrective lenses solves the problem, unaware that myopia can progress even with corrective lenses.”
The survey also reveals that the majority of parents take a short-term view of myopia management, focusing on immediate compensation for the problem, overlooking the importance of follow-ups once the correction is in place and the existence of solutions to slow down the progression.
- After correction, 69% of parents of myopic children are no longer really worried about their child’s eyesight.
- 78% of parents of myopic children even consider that they have done all they can and that there is not much left to do.
- 79% of parents of myopic children wrongly believe that their child’s myopia is likely to improve.
- More than two thirds (69%) of parents of myopic children consider that their child’s myopia will probably disappear in the next few years.
- Overall, a third (32%) of parents are not aware that adopting appropriate habits such as taking a break when focusing on close objects for long periods and spending time outdoors could be beneficial in slowing down the onset of myopia.
- And three quarters (76%) have not heard about spectacle lenses to slow down the progression of myopia.
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