Is your child's eye grade going up every visit? Seven questions to bring to the optometrist

Many Filipino parents notice the pattern. Every school year, the grade goes up, and every year there is a new pair of glasses. A rising grade in a child is a reason for a proper conversation with an optometrist. It is not something to diagnose from a blog, and it is not something to solve with a lens chosen from a menu. This checklist gives you seven questions to bring.

First, what this is about

Myopia is nearsightedness. Myopia control lenses are designed to slow how fast a myopic child's grade climbs. Three are used at Vision Express: Hoya MiYOSMART, Essilor Stellest and Shamir Optimee. They are not the same as treatment for lazy eye, which is a different condition corrected by giving the weaker eye a clear image. If your child was told they have a lazy eye, that is a separate conversation.

Seven questions to ask

1. Is my child's grade changing faster than expected for their age? The optometrist compares against the last visit, and can tell you whether the change is worth acting on.

2. Is this myopia, or something else? Blurred distance vision has more than one cause. A full exam tells them apart, and you should not assume.

3. Is my child a candidate for a myopia control lens? This is a clinical decision. It depends on age, current grade and how the eyes are changing. It is not a purchase decision.

4. What is the difference between the three options? Ask the optometrist to explain Hoya MiYOSMART, Essilor Stellest and Shamir Optimee in terms of how your child will wear them. We will not quote you a number here for how much any of them slows progression, because results differ between studies and between children. Be cautious of anyone who gives you a percentage.

5. How often should we come back? Follow-up visits are how you find out whether the lens is doing its job. Ask for a schedule and stick to it.

6. What else can we do at home? Eye care professionals commonly discuss time outdoors and regular breaks from close work. Ask what applies to your child.

7. How long will my child wear this? Ask when the optometrist expects to review the plan, so the decision is not open-ended.

What to bring

Bring your child's last prescription if you have it, and the current glasses. Bring a note of any eye symptoms: squinting at the board, sitting close to the TV, headaches after school. Also mention any family history of strong prescriptions, since that helps the optometrist.

How to prepare your child

Tell your child the visit is a set of games with lights and letters, not a test they can fail. Children answer more accurately when they are calm. A short, honest explanation the night before is usually enough.

About an everyday pair in the meantime

Our menu names Opulens Advanced 1.60 as a child's everyday pair, ready in 20 minutes. It is a good spare while decisions are being made, but it is not a myopia control lens, and you should not treat it as one.

What we will and will not say

We will say that myopia control lenses are designed to slow progression. We will not say they stop it, cure it, or guarantee an outcome. If someone tells you otherwise, ask them for the source.

What to do next

Book a Vision7 eye test at your nearest Vision Express store. The seven-step exam includes a visual health check and a diagnosis and management step, where the optometrist lays out a plan for your child.

Ask the team about Hoya MiYOSMART, Essilor Stellest and Shamir Optimee at the counter. These are the three myopia control lenses we work with, and the optometrist will tell you whether any of them suits your child. Every Vision Express pair also comes with free lifetime ultrasonic cleaning, free lifetime custom fitting and adjustment, and a 1-year warranty.