(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, a new approach to childhood nearsightedness is now available in the U.S. after years of use overseas. Parents are already asking what it means for their kids and how well it works.
Myopia is what most people call nearsightedness. That means you can see things up close, but objects far away look blurry. It’s actually becoming more common among school-aged children. Genetics plays a role, but researchers say spending more time indoors and doing close-up activities, like reading or using screens, may be contributing to the increase.
Over time, myopia can cause the eye to stretch and grow longer. It usually progresses while kids’ eyes are still growing. It can make vision worse and increase the risk of retinal tears, which is basically damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that’s needed for clear sight.
Until recently, there were not many options for treatment. But now, the FDA has approved special lenses called Stellest. They’re designed to slow the progression of myopia in children ages 6 to 12. They use tiny, raised dots arranged in 11 rings to redirect light onto the retina. In company studies, the kids wearing Stellest lenses had about a 71% slower change in their prescription and about a 53% reduction in how much their eyes elongated.
The FDA didn’t find serious side effects. Some kids in the study did notice visual symptoms, such as blur and halos, when wearing the glasses.
As for cost, the price is estimated at $450. However, most vision insurance plans are expected to cover the lenses if the child meets the criteria.
Now, we all know eyesight is really important. But many parents don’t realize that by the time kids finish high school, an estimated 30% to 40% will have developed myopia. So if you hear kids complaining they can’t see the whiteboards in class, or if you notice they’re squinting, blinking a lot, rubbing their eyes, or sitting very close to the TV or tablet, it may be time for an eye exam.
If myopia isn’t treated, it can get worse and lead to high myopia. And that increases the risk of serious problems later - like retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and other damage to the retina.
