Bifocals slow progression of near sightedness in children, study shows

[steven johnson]

There was a small but significant slowing of the progression of near sightedness in children by fitting them with bifocals.

An interesting finding but I would imagine getting kids to wear the bifocals 100% of the time might be an issue.

For children diagnosed with worsening myopia, bifocals might be a better choice than standard lenses for nearsightedness; researchers have found that the condition doesn't seem to progress as rapidly among bifocal-wearing children.

In the new study, researchers studied 135 Chinese Canadian children who were diagnosed with progressive myopia, meaning myopia that had worsened significantly over the previous year. The children, whose average age was 10, were assigned to wear either single-vision lenses, bifocals or bifocals with prism, a type of correction that is ground into lenses to help the eyes work together and enhance near vision.

After two years, researchers found the progression of myopia was most rapid among those who wore single-vision lenses. The slowest rate of progression was among children who wore prismatic bifocals -- a 58% difference in the rate of progression compared to children wearing single-vision lenses. There was a 38% difference in the rate of progression between users of standard bifocals and users of single-vision lenses.

Bifocals may help slow myopia by enhancing both near-distance visionand distance vision and by reducing eye strain. But researchers don't know if the effects of the treatment will last. If the effects are permanent, bifocals for rapid-progression myopia could reduce the number of people who end up with severely impaired vision.

Bifocals slow progression of myopia in children, study shows

[shawcomm]

1. Can you imagine being the first kid called six eyes?

[BlueGirlRedState]

2. My 9 year old has bifocals

She was adopted from China at age 3 and had cataracts at birth. Once they were removed, she needed correction to see up close. She does not like wearing glasses at all.

[Celebration]

3. This is big!

Bifocals do not have to have a line in them.

Why correct for nearsightedness while the kid reads? If this is confirmed this should become the standard.