How to Restore Vision for Children with Myopia
Aug 19, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Shuai
Introduction
Children with myopia do not always recover their vision. Prolonged reading or writing in environments with excessively strong or weak lighting, and extended close-up viewing of electronic devices, can cause excessive eye accommodation and gradually elongate the eye axis, leading to myopia. It is important to improve the visual environment, ensure appropriate lighting, limit the duration of electronic device use, maintain correct reading and writing posture, and increase outdoor activities daily.
Children with myopia do not necessarily recover their vision completely. Myopia may be related to genetic factors, poor visual environments, pseudo-myopia, refractive errors, or congenital cataracts. Generally, vision can be improved through better eye habits, wearing glasses, medication assistance, or surgical correction. Seek timely medical attention when abnormalities occur. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Genetic factors: If one or both parents have high myopia, the child may carry related genetic traits, making abnormal eye development and early-onset myopia more likely. Regular vision monitoring is necessary to slow the progression of myopia.
2. Poor visual environment: Prolonged reading or writing in excessively bright or dim lighting, and extended close-up viewing of electronic devices can cause excessive eye accommodation and gradual elongation of the eye axis, leading to myopia. Improve the visual environment by ensuring appropriate lighting, limiting screen time, maintaining correct posture during reading and writing, and increasing outdoor activity daily.
3. Pseudo-myopia: Continuous contraction and spasm of the ciliary muscles from prolonged near-eye work can temporarily reduce vision, causing distant objects to appear blurry. Symptoms may also include eye fatigue and dryness. Under a doctor's guidance, use compound tropicamide eye drops to relax the ciliary muscles, combined with lutein chewable tablets and vitamin A soft capsules to nourish the eyes. Vision usually returns to normal.
4. Refractive error: Abnormalities in the eye's refractive system cause parallel light entering the eye to focus in front of the retina, resulting in blurred distance vision. This may be accompanied by habits such as squinting or tilting the head. Management involves cycloplegic refraction testing first, followed by wearing appropriate eyeglasses or orthokeratology lenses to correct vision.
5. Congenital cataracts: Lens opacity blocks light from entering the eye, resulting in unclear retinal imaging and significantly reduced vision. This may also be accompanied by nystagmus or strabismus. When possible, perform cataract phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation. Refractive correction is needed after surgery to improve vision.
In daily life, ensure children have sufficient outdoor activity time each day to expose their eyes to natural light. Regular vision check-ups should be conducted, and prompt action taken if vision deterioration is detected.
