Understanding myopia with infographics

Myopia causes blurred vision for far distance objects, but as myopia increases, the blur can start to be noticed even at arm's length or closer. It is also known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness. It typically starts developing before age 10 and continues worsening every few to several months until the late teens or early 20's. This worsening is called myopia progression.

Myopia is more complicated than just the quick fix of glasses or contact lenses, though. As myopia progresses (worsens), the eyes are growing too quickly and this causes deterioration in vision and increased risk to long-term eye health.^1-3 For this reason, up-to-date eye care practitioners are now recommending myopia control treatments, as part of an overall best-practice clinical care process called myopia management.

Your child’s eye care practitioner or eye doctor (optician, optometrist or ophthalmologist) may use the following Infographic from MyopiaProfile.com to guide you through a discussion about myopia. These infographics describe visual habits and screen time advice, treatment options, contact lens wear in kids, and why myopia management is essential.

There is a set of four panels you may be introduced to, in discussion with your optometrist or eye doctor, and a take-home brochure to help you recall the discussion and support your child's clinical care. The four panels are shown below.

Learn about each of these panels below, with links to further reading on this website.

This panel of the infographic illustrates the risk factors and positive changes you make to support your child’s visual development and eye health.

Read more in our article The childhood visual environment.

This panel of the infographic summarizes currently available myopia control treatment options across three podiums ranked best, next-best and less effective. These podium categories are based on outcomes of gold-standard clinical research (randomized controlled trials) of myopia control treatments where there is at least 12 months of data published. If you are interested in delving into a scientific research summary written for eye care professionals, follow the link to this article titled Which myopia control treatment works best?

On each podium are groups of treatments which have been shown in their individual studies to slow the excessive eye growth found in progressive myopia by at least 50% (at least half) or around 33% (around one third). Your child's optometrist or eye doctor will be able to provide advice on which treatments are

available in your country, and what option(s) could suit your child best.

Our article written especially for parents and carers on this topic is Which is the best option for myopia control?

This panel of the infographic illustrates the benefits and safety of contact lens wear in children and teenagers, explaining how they can be safe, successful and satisfied wearers of contact lenses.

Read more in our article All about contact lenses.

This panel of the infographic summarizes the ‘why’ of myopia management, including the short-term and long-term goals, and the lifetime eye health risks which come with increasing levels of myopia.

Read more in our article What is myopia management and why it's important.

Once your child's optometrist or eye doctor has taken you through a discussion using the Infographics to explain myopia, you may be provided this take-home brochure as a reminder of the discussion.

The brochure includes advice on healthy outdoor and close work time, risks and benefits of contact lens wear, the podium of myopia control options, and reminder on why myopia management is important. Included is a QR code that links to this website, MyKidsVision.org, for further information.

If there's anything else you want to learn about children's vision and management of myopia in children and teenagers, check out the Knowledge Centre of this website where you can customize your search by specific topics or the age group of your child.