Optometrist advice please.

[MegCleary]

DD is just coming 12 and been wearing glasses a couple of years. She was saying they were not helping as much so took her for eye test at ten months not the year and she needed a new prescription. Grand. Expected that. But I was really surprised they recommended contacted lenses that slow myopia.
She is not keen, she is already going to need four extractions and braces in the next few months. I don’t want to pile more responsibility on her.
is this a new thing, is it worth it? I say this a person with a very strong prescription about - 5 and - 6 myself.
I have attached her two recent eye tests for clarity and would appreciated some advice. Is it a sales thing or a new eye health thing we should encourage her to do.

[Spamfrit]

It’s a good thing if you can afford it. They even do myopia control glasses if she is not keen on the idea of wearing contact lenses. She still has growing to do, so I would estimate without intervention she may land at -3.00/4.00 ish once an adult

[Spamfrit]

Essilor® Stellest™ lenses slow down myopia progression by 67% on average, compared to single vision lenses, when worn 12 hours a day.(1)

[Starlightstarbright1]

Absolutely. I work in an optocians that sell the lenses above and contact lenses. The lenses are cheaper.

I really wish they were around when i was a child. Would buy them for my dc if needed in a heartbeat

[MegCleary]

Thank you so much for replying. Why is being shortsighted to be stopped/controlled? I may be biased as am pretty shortsighted but it has never held me back. ….I think!
I was never sporty is that it?

[Pippa92]

I'm very short sighted and wish this had been a thing when I was a child, I've got such a strong prescription now.

[Spamfrit]

Being shortsighted carries risks to your sight. The more shortsighted you are the greater the risk of things like retinal detachment

[MegCleary]

Shortsighted for32 years never knew that. Is there a range to avoid?

[MegCleary]

So do I push her towards it or leave it a year. The glasses are not available yet. Is this a thing lots of children are being offered? It’s not on the NHS.

[RedBobbleBeanie]

Are they recommending night contacts? I don't think it's a sales pitch; if it stops the eyes deteriorating, it's best to start sooner rather than later, if at all.

She has to want to do it though, as she'll need to be invested in keeping them clean etc. Might be worth considering the special glasses lenses instead of she's not keen.

[Hercules12]

Dd got these early teens. Now 19 and stopped them about 6 months ago. Really helped her vision - expensive but no regrets.

[RedBobbleBeanie]

No one told us about them btw, we had seen 3 opticians over 2 years (pandemic, thanks). I stumbled across the nightly lenses while googling what age children can start wearing contacts, for things like swimming and sports.

So I don't think it's widely being rolled out, which is a shame - if it lowers the prescription in the long term, I think it's worth it. But it's not covered by the NHS.

[Jijithecat]

Are you a contact lens wearer yourself OP? I wear lenses and my DC wears lenses, but it was a big undertaking to get to the point of being able to independently put lenses in and take them out. Hours of our lives were spent practicing in the opticians and at home. However DC was fully on board with this and loves wearing lenses.
Our optician said that eyes potentially grow/change until 21, so in your daughter's case that's nearly another 10 years to grow.
My DC is using MiSight lenses. It's too early in the process for us to notice any positive impacts and it costs a lot - £42 a month, but luckily we are in a position to do this.

[MegCleary]

I have worn lenses in the past but am far too lazy and I think my glasses suit me!
the one thing she said before the eye test was she didn’t want lenses and I do worry about the risk of infections.
I didn’t realise being short sighted had become “bad” but I am torn as I don’t want to do her a disservice if I don’t investigate and ask around. The optometrist wasn’t “selling” but kind of was. I suppose I think if it was best practice it would be on NHS but I know how long it can take for new practice to come in and how much it costs.
A quandary.
thats why I’m asking an anonymous internet forum for advice! 🙃

[Jijithecat]

I think you probably have your answer regarding contact lenses. It may be worthwhile exploring myopia control glasses, but I think these are newer than the contact lenses so maybe more difficult to get hold of.
There are things that can be done in an attempt to limit myopia. Making sure they get an hour outdoors of natural light each day and taking regular screen breaks to look into the distance.
I think the current thinking is that the worse the level of myopia the greater the risk of serious eye problems e.g. detached retina, macular degeneration.
I might be wrong but I don't think the NHS voucher covers contact lense, just glasses, but with the costs involved and ever increasing numbers of children with myopia I don't think you will see these on the NHS.

[Onnabugeisha]

Losing 1 diopter in less than a year is pretty bad. I’d definitely be considering anything to slow down her myopia.

I wish they’d had these available when I was a child. I am at -20.5 right now and it’s not anything I’d wish on anyone.

[Starlightstarbright1]

@MegCleary

So do I push her towards it or leave it a year. The glasses are not available yet. Is this a thing lots of children are being offered? It’s not on the NHS.

The glasses lenses to reduce myopia are a new lens but are available. You can shop around. You can take your perscription to any opticians.

[Spamfrit]

As Starlightstarbright1 says the glasses lenses are available. Called Stellist. Boots opticians do them plus lots of independents and if your child’s prescription does change in 6 months you get free replacement lenses.
Like a lot of parenting you’ve got to weigh up the pros and cons and make a decision that is right for you. I’d view them a bit like paying for children’s braces… it’ll given them better eyesight/straighter teeth in the long term

[MegCleary]

Well, popped in local optician who do the glasses and they are £400 🫠. That is a decent amount.

[MegCleary]

Boots may be starting them in March, vision express not doing them.
Are the results with with the glasses the same as contact lenses?

[MegCleary]

Evening bump

[MegCleary]

Hello

[Earlgreyandcake]

Specsavers 225

[MegCleary]

Our Specsavers not doing them! Are the glasses as effective as the contacts?

[underneaththeash]

@MegCleary

Our Specsavers not doing them! Are the glasses as effective as the contacts?

So, according to the research - which is a bit biased as a lot is done by the companies who manufacture the glasses, glasses and the miSight lenses have a similar change of working.

Personally, I find miSight is more effective. I also find ortho-k is really successful and can work out cheaper.

[MegCleary]

We that’s good as she’s not keen on the contacts.