Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Blurred Vision?
Question: My son is 5 years old (Going to be 6 next month). I noticed that when he tried to read street names at a distance, he said those are blurred. We went for an eye checkup.
We initially went for an optometrist for checkup. The prescription given is
Sph Cyl Axis
OD -1.25
OS -1.25 -0.25 100
I noticed that my son didn’t read the last line with small letters even with the corrective lens. (The doctor told that the computer showed the power as -1.75 but the prescription is enough)
We went to a pediatric optometrist for second opinion. The prescription given is
Sph Cyl Axis
OD -1.75 DS
OS -1.75 DS
(he read the complete chart correctly with the lens)
I have the following questions –
1. I’m not sure why the prescription is different and which of these ones to follow? Can you please suggest me?
2. If my son wears the lens with less power (prescription from first doctor), will it be better for his eyes in the long run? I read in some of the internet sites that having the glass with more power is bad for the eyes as the brain will accustom to that power and increase from there (also we don't need perfect 20/20 for days to day activities). Is it true?
3. Does he needs to wear glasses all the time? Does he need to wear it while he is reading or writing (he never complained while reading, writing or playing in ipad)?
4. Will wearing glasses all the time – improves or worsens one’s vision?
5. I put glasses when I was 10 (the power was -1.00 at that time and it got increased till -2.25 and it stopped and I’m in that same power for last 15 years). I’m worried that my sons starts at a very young age with more power. Does he have a higher risk for high myopia when he becomes adult since he is having power at young age?
6. Are there any way to make sure that his power is not increasing?
Thank you!
We initially went for an optometrist for checkup. The prescription given is
Sph Cyl Axis
OD -1.25
OS -1.25 -0.25 100
I noticed that my son didn’t read the last line with small letters even with the corrective lens. (The doctor told that the computer showed the power as -1.75 but the prescription is enough)
We went to a pediatric optometrist for second opinion. The prescription given is
Sph Cyl Axis
OD -1.75 DS
OS -1.75 DS
(he read the complete chart correctly with the lens)
I have the following questions –
1. I’m not sure why the prescription is different and which of these ones to follow? Can you please suggest me?
2. If my son wears the lens with less power (prescription from first doctor), will it be better for his eyes in the long run? I read in some of the internet sites that having the glass with more power is bad for the eyes as the brain will accustom to that power and increase from there (also we don't need perfect 20/20 for days to day activities). Is it true?
3. Does he needs to wear glasses all the time? Does he need to wear it while he is reading or writing (he never complained while reading, writing or playing in ipad)?
4. Will wearing glasses all the time – improves or worsens one’s vision?
5. I put glasses when I was 10 (the power was -1.00 at that time and it got increased till -2.25 and it stopped and I’m in that same power for last 15 years). I’m worried that my sons starts at a very young age with more power. Does he have a higher risk for high myopia when he becomes adult since he is having power at young age?
6. Are there any way to make sure that his power is not increasing?
Thank you!
Brief Answer:
Your son is having simple myopia, no need to worry
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
I am Dr Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your 5 year old son is having refractive error in the form of myopia. No need to worry as it is a common problem and it can be taken care with ease.
Coming to your questions
1. Your son needs the second prescription given by the pediatric optometrist and he needs to wear it always.
2. Myopia is corrected by slightly under correction to preserve accommodation. This applies to adults and in children we need to correct full amount so that he reads all the lines in the chart with 6/6 vision. Because in children under correction may lead blurring of vision which van cause ambylopia or dull eye. Because of this full correction should be given in children below the age of 12 years.
3. Yes he needs to wear glasses all the time and wearing glasses all the time prevents increase in the power.
4. Wearing glasses all the time prevents increase in the power.
5. The risk of high refractive error is not there in your son because you also had similar problem and it progressed to 2.25 dioptres only. The risk of high refractive error is seen in children where either if the parents have high refractive error of more than -6 called as pathological myopia. Since it is not there the risk of progression is less in your sons case.
6. The precautions to be taken to prevent increase in refractive error are to wear glasses most of the times, eye examination once in 6-12 months to find out any change in refractive error and correction if it, good nutritious diet rich in vitamin A like green leafy vegetables, carrot...., avoiding watching TV from close distance, avoiding reading in bad illumination....
Hope I have answered your questions and the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Your son is having simple myopia, no need to worry
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
I am Dr Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your 5 year old son is having refractive error in the form of myopia. No need to worry as it is a common problem and it can be taken care with ease.
Coming to your questions
1. Your son needs the second prescription given by the pediatric optometrist and he needs to wear it always.
2. Myopia is corrected by slightly under correction to preserve accommodation. This applies to adults and in children we need to correct full amount so that he reads all the lines in the chart with 6/6 vision. Because in children under correction may lead blurring of vision which van cause ambylopia or dull eye. Because of this full correction should be given in children below the age of 12 years.
3. Yes he needs to wear glasses all the time and wearing glasses all the time prevents increase in the power.
4. Wearing glasses all the time prevents increase in the power.
5. The risk of high refractive error is not there in your son because you also had similar problem and it progressed to 2.25 dioptres only. The risk of high refractive error is seen in children where either if the parents have high refractive error of more than -6 called as pathological myopia. Since it is not there the risk of progression is less in your sons case.
6. The precautions to be taken to prevent increase in refractive error are to wear glasses most of the times, eye examination once in 6-12 months to find out any change in refractive error and correction if it, good nutritious diet rich in vitamin A like green leafy vegetables, carrot...., avoiding watching TV from close distance, avoiding reading in bad illumination....
Hope I have answered your questions and the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Doctor. Thanks a lot of answering these questions. I will order glasses with the second prescription. I will also make sure that he eats lot of vegetables. I have a couple of more questions.
1. My wife told me that her father has a power of greater than -6. But she has a very minimal power (-0.5) and doesn’t use spectacles. Does this change the risk of high refractive error for my son?
2. I understand that each kid is different. But on the average how much does the power increases for the kids every year?
3. My younger son (age 3) doesn't seems to have issue with seeing things at long distance. Is there a possibility that he might not get myopia at all.
Thanks again for answering my questions.
Brief Answer:
Your son is probably having simple myopia.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
Thank you for the follow up query.
Coming to your questions,
1. Since your wife is having minimal refractive error and you are also having simple myopia with minimal refractive error the chance of high refractive error is less in your son.
2. Since your son is most probably having simple myopia and in most people with simple myopia the refractive error may reach up to -3 or -4 dioptres and stabilize at this without further increase.
3. The chance of children getting myopia is more in case where parents have pathological myopia or high myopia. Since both parents in this case are just simple myopics, the chance of your younger son getting the refractive error is less.
Hope I have answered your questions and the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Your son is probably having simple myopia.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
Thank you for the follow up query.
Coming to your questions,
1. Since your wife is having minimal refractive error and you are also having simple myopia with minimal refractive error the chance of high refractive error is less in your son.
2. Since your son is most probably having simple myopia and in most people with simple myopia the refractive error may reach up to -3 or -4 dioptres and stabilize at this without further increase.
3. The chance of children getting myopia is more in case where parents have pathological myopia or high myopia. Since both parents in this case are just simple myopics, the chance of your younger son getting the refractive error is less.
Hope I have answered your questions and the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
