Q&A: 6 Common Questions About Glasses in Children

Question 1: My child is nearsighted. They have already received glasses. Should they wear them all the time or just at school?

Ans : If the nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism is mild (approximately less than 2.00), it is not necessary to wear glasses all the time. However, if there are certain eye conditions such as strabismus, severe refractive errors, or amblyopia, glasses should be worn as much as possible.

Some people believe that wearing glasses all the time will worsen vision. In reality, vision changes naturally. As previously explained, farsightedness in children tends to decrease, nearsightedness tends to increase, and astigmatism usually remains stable. Therefore, wearing glasses improves clarity of vision and does not affect changes in vision.

Question 2: Is having glasses made at the hospital by an ophthalmologist different from getting them at an optical shop?

Ans : There is quite a difference in pediatric patients because children have a greater ability to accommodate (focus) than adults, which can cause inconsistent vision measurements depending on their focusing effort. Therefore, eye exams for children often involve using eye drops to reduce accommodation to obtain more reliable measurements. These drops can only be administered by doctors and nurses. Thus, vision measurements for children at the hospital are more reliable because accommodation-reducing drops can be used. However, these drops are not necessary for every child and depend on the child’s age and cooperation. They should be used in the following cases:

1. Children with strabismus
2. Young children who cannot stay still or older children who are uncooperative
3. Children with significant refractive errors
4. Children with amblyopia, at least for the first examination

Question 3: After having an eye exam at the hospital and receiving eye drops before the test, my child complains of blurry vision and difficulty reading. How long will this last?

Ans : It depends on the type of accommodation-reducing drops used. These drops reduce the ability to see close objects and dilate the pupils, causing light sensitivity and blurred near vision. The duration of effect varies from 4-6 hours, up to 1 day, and in some cases, up to 2 weeks. (You can ask the treating doctor for specific information.)

Question 4: My child is nearsighted after an eye exam. Will it go away as they grow up?

Ans : Normally, children are farsighted, and this farsightedness decreases gradually until vision becomes normal around age 7. For children who are nearsighted, it is predictable that the nearsightedness will likely increase further, whether or not they wear glasses. Vision changes slow down after age 10 and usually stabilize after age 20. Currently, there are eye drops (0.01% Atropine) that can slow the progression of nearsightedness in children with rapidly increasing myopia. This medication requires monthly hospital visits and daily eye drop use for at least 2 years.

Question 5: My child has both astigmatism and nearsightedness. Can LASIK or RELEX correct this?

Ans : LASIK and RELEX can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. However, an eye examination is required beforehand to determine if the eyes are suitable for these procedures. These surgeries are usually performed on patients over 20 years old because vision tends to be stable by then.

Question 6: Is farsightedness in children the same as in the elderly?

Ans : They are different. Farsightedness in children (Hyperopia) occurs because the eyeball is too small, causing images to focus behind the retina, resulting in blurry vision at all distances, both near and far. This is normal in children, who can usually accommodate to see clearly. As they grow, the eyeball enlarges, and vision often becomes normal. In contrast, farsightedness in the elderly (Presbyopia) is caused by the lens hardening and losing its ability to change shape to focus on near objects. This requires holding reading material farther away or wearing glasses to see clearly.