Myopia treatment in children and young people

Myopia is becoming more common in children and young people. In the UK, around 10% of children age 10-12 years and 25% of teenagers now have myopia, which typically worsens while children and young people are growing up. Optometrists in the UK report seeing increasing numbers of young children with myopia.

In addition, parents are increasingly aware that myopia is not only an inconvenience making children and teenagers more dependent on glasses and contact lenses, but that myopia can be linked with serious and sight-threatening complications in adult life. 

Fortunately, new treatments have become available. 

Whilst 20 years ago, there was nothing to slow down the worsening of short-sightedness during childhood and teenage years, several treatments have fast become established in the UK private sector, and they may become available in the NHS as well. The new treatments include special glasses, special contact lenses and low-concentration atropine eyedrops. In randomised controlled trials, these slowed progression by around 50% in the first year of treatment. 

Whilst real-world data are yet lacking, practitioners and parents face decisions about whether it is worth using these treatments, and which one to choose. New options enter the market at rapid pace, often with not much evidence supporting their use.

In our webinar on 4 June 2024, consultant Annegret Dahlmann-Noor will explain what researchers think about the causes of the increasing trend for children to develop myopia at a younger age, what drives progression, what evidence is available for current treatment options, and which new treatments are currently in clinical trials.