Why are more children being diagnosed as nearsighted?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gwen Love, 6, has been wearing glasses since she was 3 years old. Doctors diagnosed her as nearsighted.

Her father, Adam, said looking back, there were signs.

"When she would watch TV we were constantly having to pull her back because she would walk right until she was almost on top of it," said Love.

There are more and more kids just like Gwen. Dr. Barbara Marcussen, at Complete Eye Care, is concerned about how many she's diagnosing with nearsightedness or myopia.

"It is definitely an epidemic," Dr. Marcussen said. "Nearsightedness can lead to other problems down the road like glaucoma or cataracts, myopic macular degeneration, retinal disorders such as retinal detachment."

The cause of nearsightedness could be genetic, but there are other theories, including a lack of sunshine and increasingly too much screen time with tablets, ipads and phones straining children's eyes.

"Our eyes were made to be looking far away, and our technology, for all of us adults and children, our world is so up close right now," said Dr. Marcussen.

From entertainment to education, kids spend more time staring at screens. Many schools even provide Chromebooks to students.

When it comes to devices, Dr. Marcussen recommends the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, kids should look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to give their eyes a break.

"If they become nearsighted as a child, it will get worse and worse and worse ever year," Dr. Marcussen said.

A treatment called Othokeratology can stop it. Through a special scan of the eye, custom lenses are made for patients to wear only when they're sleeping.

"Just like a braces retainer would hold your teeth straight, this holds the eye straight so it's not getting worse and worse," said Dr. Marcussen.  "As you sleep, it slowly and gently reshapes that cornea."

Richard Lauer is a 16-year-old high school student and cross-country standout.

He was diagnosed as nearsighted in fifth grade. He started wearing the special lenses and said his vision has not worsened at all.

He said seeing clearly without glasses or contacts not only helps him focus on getting faster, but he's also grateful that with the lenses his vision will never worsen for the rest of his life.

"Having these in has been a blessing for me," said Lauer.

Dr. Marcussen said many young kids may not even complain because they have no comparison. They don't know that objects are out of focus.

She recommends children have their eyes examined by age 5 and then checked again every year.

Cox Media Group