All About Kids' Eye-sight

[cnimed]

I don’t understand this gene theory. SIngapore has one of the highest rate of childhood myopia in the world, but just two generations ago it was not so. Rather than genes, I THINK lifestyle plays a greater part. And lifestyle doesn’t mean just TV or computers, but also the amount of time doing seatwork, the age at which seatwork begins. Young children are naturally far sighted, but in Singapore, we start them on reading and seatwork at a very young age, and at a very intensive pace compared to other countries. I personally believe this, plus the number of hours spent playing outdoors, plays an important part. So it may run in the family not just because of the genes (if it is - have they even identified the gene for myopia?), but because of family values in early learning, and family lifestyle with regards to outdoor play.


Hm, what about myopia rate in HK, Korea and Japan? I think it would be interesting to compare the factors.

[Sun_2010]

Hi,


Any advice/reco on getting contacts for kids? I am totally clueless


DD now in Sec1 has been advised by CCA teacher to get contacts - she has a power of 300/350 .


Is it ok for kids this age to use them ? DD is not the playful kind - can be a bit lazy though.

[sall]

If the child is mature enough to clean the lens thoroughly, then it should be all right to get contact lens. Contact lens have the advantage to slow down the myopia progession as the lens sits on the eye-ball, unlike the glasses, where there is space between the lens and eyes.

I don’t agree with the gene theory too, it has more to do with lifestyle. If you look at sch students, most students in the best classes wear glasses, cos they study and read a lot, in the weakest class, most students have perfect eyesight.

[barney8]

if not GENES then why some kids are playing with iphone all the time even at dining tables are not myopic. Initially i thought it was lifestyle but comparing with other kids, mine are watching less TV and playing less computer games but still get it. Even when i asked a few eye doctors they couldn’t explain what are the causes so when it can’t be explained, doctors like to say genes…

[bebe]

I can understand how devastated to see yr child wearing glasses…maybe I am still in a denial…my P3 gal had perfect eyesight until this year when I was told that she has to wear glass (75/100)…and my younger gal P2…her degree rocketed from 75 t0 250 within a year. I let my older kid wear the normal lens and the younger one use the myovision. Very gek sim…my hubby said it is inevitable as both of are are myopic…but one of SILs has perfect eyesight…and my bro has perfect eyesight till he went Poly…thought that we can delay their myopia till when they are much older eg P5,P6.


My gals hardly watch TV, play computer. Well,they do read but I always make sure they read under proper lighting condition. And my P3 gals eat wolfberries daily. Could it be that now the school are using more of the whiteboard?? During our time…we use blackblock?

[sall]

A friend gave her daughter lots of pig’s liver and kidney since young and all those chinese herbs. Until now, her teenage girl has perfect eye-sight even though both parents are myopic. She is a firm believer in such food that is gd for eye-sight. What do you folks think?

[BeContented]

Really curious…have any of you ever tried going to 2 different optician within a week only to find the eye screen results differs a little too much?


I have been going to a particular optical shop for the last 2 years…and my gal has been changing her glasses every ~6 months. 4 days ago, I visited the usual shop as my girl has problem with her glasses again (just 4.5 months only). Eye result showed an increase of 50/75. I was recommended the myopilux but due to high cost plus the need to find out more, I decided to go back and consider first.

Today, I met a friend at another optical shop and decided to test my gal’s eyesight as well since my friend’s kid has been making her glasses there. To my astonishment, the eye result is a 125/150 increase vs the 50/75 just a few days ago…

What I cannot understand is, why are the 2 results so different? At 10, my gal is already able to express herself properly, so I dun think that is the reason. Now I really wonder, why this discrepancy, where is the problem, who should I trust…

Just a quick poll to parents with myopia kids, would you change the glasses if the jump is only 50 degree?

[barney8]

cwc:

Really curious....have any of you ever tried going to 2 different optician within a week only to find the eye screen results differs a little too much?


I have been going to a particular optical shop for the last 2 years....and my gal has been changing her glasses every ~6 months. 4 days ago, I visited the usual shop as my girl has problem with her glasses again (just 4.5 months only). Eye result showed an increase of 50/75. I was recommended the myopilux but due to high cost plus the need to find out more, I decided to go back and consider first.

Today, I met a friend at another optical shop and decided to test my gal's eyesight as well since my friend's kid has been making her glasses there. To my astonishment, the eye result is a 125/150 increase vs the 50/75 just a few days ago....

What I cannot understand is, why are the 2 results so different? At 10, my gal is already able to express herself properly, so I dun think that is the reason. Now I really wonder, why this discrepancy, where is the problem, who should I trust.....

Just a quick poll to parents with myopia kids, would you change the glasses if the jump is only 50 degree?

Wah that is a lot of difference. i was told by my optician that different optician can give different readings because of different expectation of sharpness. Within 25/50 is reasonable but 75 is too much. Did u go in with your child? Can she see?

your question of 50 increase need not change as per my eye doctor.

[BeContented]

Hi Barney,

I did not go in with her. For the last 2 eye tests, my gal has been the one ‘solely responsible’ for giving her feedback to the optician. At the end of the eye test, I will check with her and she will feedback things like feel giddy/too bright but ok after they reduce the power etc. I guess she is the best person to decide if she can see clearly or not.

Frankly, I personally think that 50 is not necessary to change. But the usual optical shop has on both occasions, nudge me to change for my gal. First from 200 to 250, now 250 to 300 and it’s like every 5 months I gotta change her glasses. Perhaps I should go for 3rd eye test…ha.

[teh_oh]

my relative is an optician.

i was told that a few factors may affect the ‘performance’ of the child’s eyesight test for that day.
1. stress - psychological; ie whether the child is stressed from the presence of the parent/optician/environment during the eye examination etc.
2. eye stress; ie whether the child is engaged in any activity earlier that will strain the eyes
etc.

personally, i will not change my child’s specs for increase in 50 degrees. we actually intentionally reduce the degrees on his specs (by 50 or discount for astig) so that he will not feel giddy, as per advised by our optician.