You’ve picked out a new backpack and finally got them to sit still for that back-to-school haircut. Whether your children are taking on the 2021-22 school year in person, online or both, they’re going to need a comprehensive eye exam. Read on to find out why you shouldn’t skip this critical step in getting your little scholars ready for the new school year.

Did you know that myopia, whose primary symptom is blurred distance vision, is on the rise—in its frequency and its severity?¹ As your child grows, their myopia is likely to get worse over time, and can further impact their future eye health. Help is now available. MiSight^® 1 day soft contact lenses are specifically designed for myopia control and are FDA approved* to slow myopia progression in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment!^†2

Good Vision Is Vital for Learning

Children who suffer from vision problems will often struggle in school. Sometimes you’ll notice they avoid reading or have trouble seeing the whiteboard or materials the teacher uses. Sometimes, their vision issues can even interfere with their extracurricular activities, like sports. So frustrating—imagine if you couldn’t see what everyone else could and you didn’t even realize it! Diagnosing a child with a vision condition early on is critical to their overall developmental success.

Early Diagnosis Is Key

Myopia, often referred to as nearsightedness, can result in the inability to see objects clearly at a distance, like the whiteboard at school. It often worsens during a child's growing years. But myopia is more than just not being able to see well. It can increase the risk of serious eye health complications and sight-threatening conditions later in life, such as risk for retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, and glaucoma.^3-4

Prescriptions Can Change Year to Year

There’s a reason your child’s eye exam should be a yearly event: Children’s bodies can change quickly and so can their eyesight. Plus, children's eyes often show clinical signs of myopia even before the child experiences blurry vision, making the annual eye exam that much more important for early detection.⁵ Even children who did not exhibit any signs of decreased vision last year might need a prescription by the following school year. It’s important to compare changes year over year.

Increased Screen Time and Digital Devices Can Lead to Myopia

With the use of more computer screens in school, not to mention the increase in digital learning, children are online and on screens more than ever before. This can cause eye strain and can even affect their eye development, so getting those eyes checked at the beginning of the school year will help set them up for success.⁶

If You Have Myopia, Your Kids Might, Too

Studies show that children have a 1 in 2 chance of developing myopia if both parents have it; a 1 in 3 chance if one parent has it; and a 1 in 4 chance even if neither parent has myopia.^{3, 7-8} Other lifestyle factors, such as not enough outdoor time, poor lighting and increased digital screen time can influence myopia development in children.^9-11

 

There Are Now More Options for Myopia

Like us, you probably didn't think contact lenses are an option for children. Through rigorous multi-year study, MiSight^® 1 day soft contact lenses on average slowed the progression of myopia by 59% in age-appropriate children. ^{§2, 12} And after six years, nearly one in four eyes originally fit with MiSight^® 1 day had no progression of myopia.^¶13 These stunning results make MiSight^® 1 day the breakthrough technology that was the first and only FDA approved* product for myopia control in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.^†2

Learn more about MiSight^® 1 day soft contact lenses and myopia!

Be sure to check this important item off your to-do list and get your child scheduled for an annual, comprehensive eye exam to make sure their school year is off to a brilliant start.

Indications and Important Safety Information.

Rx only
Results may vary.
ATTENTION: Reference the Patient Information Booklet for a complete listing of Indications and Important Safety Information. *Indication: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) so! (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters(spherical equivalent) with à 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded a!er each removal. Warnings: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye. Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. Under certain circumstances MiSight® lenses optical design can cause reduced image contrast/ghosting/halo/glare in some patients that may cause difficulties with certain visually demanding tasks. Precautions: Daily wear single use only. Patient should always dispose when lenses are removed. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities. Adverse events: Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids. Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision. If you notice any of the stated in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
^†Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a 3 year period.

^§ Children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.
¶ -0.25D or less of change. Lenses fitted between the ages of 8-12 at initiation of treatment.

1. Holden BA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(5):1036-42.
2. Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight® lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(8):556–567.
3. Xu L, Wang Y, Wang S, Wang Y Jonas JB. ‘High Myopia and Glaucoma Susceptibility: The Beijing Eye Study. Ophthalmology, 2007;114(2):216-20.
4. Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical, and environmental factors in myopia aetiology Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660.
5. Mutti DO, Hayes JR, Mitchell GL, et al. Refractive error, axial length, and relative peripheral refractive error before and after the onset of myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48(6):2510-2519. doi:10.1167/iovs.06-0562
6. Lanca C, Saw SM. The association between digital screen time and myopia: A systematic review. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020 Mar;40(2):216-229. doi: 10.1111/opo.12657. Epub 2020 Jan 13. PMID: 31943280.
7. Jiang X, Tarczy-Hornoch K, Cotter SA, et al. Association of Parental Myopia With Higher Risk of Myopia Among Multiethnic Children Before School Age [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 19]. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020;138(5):1-9.
8. Morgan P. Is Myopia Control the Next Contact Lens Revolution? OPTICIAN 2016
9. Gifford P, Gifford, K L. The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses. Opt Vis Sci. 2016;93(4):336-43.
10. Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children. Ophthalmology 2008;115(8):1279-85.
11. Chee Wai WONG, M.D. M.C.I. Digital Screen Time During COVID-19 Pandemic: Risk for a Further Myopia Boom?. American Journal of Opthalmology. 2020.07.29
12. Rah MJ, et al. Vision specific quality of life of pediatric contact lens wearers. Optom Vis Sci2010;87(8):560-6. 
13. Chamberlain P, et al. Myopia Progression in Children wearing Dual-Focus Contact Lenses: 6-year findings. Optom Vis Sci 2020;97(E-abstract):200038