A daily dose of a medication called pirenzepine can slow the rate of progressive nearsightedness, or myopia, in children, reports a study in the August issue of the Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus). Nearsightedness is an eye problem that causes objects at a distance to be blurry. A nearsighted person can clearly see objects that are close to them, but has a hard time focusing on objects that are far away. Myopia tends to worsen over time in many children.

In the study, nearsighted children were randomly assigned to treatment with pirenzepine gel or an inactive placebo gel. After a year, the average increase in myopia was significantly less for children using pirenzepine. More studies will be needed before pirenzepine can be recommended for children, including research for long-term effects, length of treatment and optimal methods of drug administration.

Related:

• Basics of Nearsightedness
• Video: Are You Nearsighted?
• Controlling Myopia

_{Image © David Sacks / Getty Images}

_Source:

Elsevier, Medication Slows Progression Of Myopia In Children. Medical News Today, 28 Aug 2008.

A question from our forum:

I have 20/25 vision in one eye and 20/30 in the other along with mild astigmatism. This explains why I have so much trouble seeing things at a distance, especially in school...Taking notes is quite hard for me because first of all, being 25-30 feet away from the board isn't uncommon, and second of all, there's the constant shift of focus from the board to the paper.

So anyway, the doctor noted that without a prescription I was clearly struggling, but with one, I could read with both speed and accuracy, and said that it was up to me whether I wanted to go for glasses or not...And since I'm sick and tired of not being able to see lots of things I want to, I was like, yeah, let's do it.

Well, my mom thinks that I'm just making this an excuse to get glasses because I want them.

My question is, is it unreasonable of me to want her to pay for them since I can see better with them?

Answer from the eye doctor:

No, it is not unreasonable. As long as your refractive error/prescription is of a significant amount and it really decreases your symptoms...then it is absolutely worth it! Parents of children I see in the office always ask this question before they spend anywhere from $150 to $350 on their children's glasses. I always make my recommendations as if the patient were my own child.

Is this expensive? Not in my opinion. First, you have to keep in mind that a spectacle prescription is a custom product made only for your eyes. In addtion, this is an object that you are going to wear every day for one or two years - and they actually will hold up for that long! What other item...such as jewelry, clothing or other medical device - do you spend money on that will hold up with daily abuse and correct your vision problem at the same time? I say it is money very well spent.

VSP (Vsion Service Plan) has acquired Marchon Eyewear Inc. for $735 million. VSP is the nation's largest eyecare benefits provider, with 55 million subscribers. Marchon Eyewear is one of the largest distributors of eyewear and sunwear.

_{Source: Sacramento Business Journal, VSP buys Marchon Eyewear Inc. for $735M. 18 Aug 2008.}

I believe all children should have a complete eye exam before starting school, usually around age 5 or 6. (Sometimes your pediatrician will notice a problem earlier.) I frequently perform eye exams on babies, so children can have their eyes checked at any age. Parents must remember that there is more to eye health than having 20/20 vision. A complete eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist can detect eye problems that school vision screenings may miss.

Top Reasons to Have an Eye Exam

School Vision Screenings

Vision Development