Why Optometrist Matthew Carter Chose to Fit His 7-Year-Old Son with Glasses Despite Having No Prescription

image of Matthew Carter, Director - Optometrist Independent Prescriber. The image is taken in a mirror of Matt wearing protective glasses when using a piece of equipment

Why Optometrist Matthew Carter Chose to Fit His 7-Year-Old Son with Glasses Despite Having No Prescription

When optometrist and father Matthew Carter noticed rapid changes in his 7-year-old son’s eye growth, he knew it was time to take action. While his son has perfect 20/20 vision and no current prescription, recent measurements revealed his eyes had elongated by 0.35mm in just six months; an unusually fast rate. This type of growth signals impending myopia (shortsightedness), something that Matthew was on the lookout for given a strong family history of the condition.

“Though his vision is still clear, his eye growth indicated that myopia was just around the corner,” Matthew explained. “Thanks to advancements in myopia management, we now have ways to slow down this growth before vision is impacted.”

A pair of purple glasses on a backlit glass shelf

Armed with evidence of excessive eye growth, Matthew chose to fit his son with MiyoSmart glasses. These innovative lenses are specifically designed to slow down eye elongation, the cause of myopia progression. Unlike traditional lenses, MiyoSmart lenses alter the way light focuses on the peripheral retina, reducing the signals that drive excessive eye growth.

Matthew emphasises that catching these changes early is crucial. “My son’s eye growth rate was actually double the average for children his age that already have myopia, so early intervention felt necessary,” he added.

top view of an eye chart with furthest letters small and blurred

image of Matthew Carter, Director - Optometrist Independent Prescriber. Matt is laughing and smiling

The Importance of Myopia Management and Regular Assessments

At Linklater & Warren, parents of shortsighted children are encouraged to book a Myopia Progression Assessment. During this assessment, an optometrist measures axial length (the eye’s length) and corneal curvature, feeding these results into advanced EyeSuite Myopia software to project future eye growth and likely future glasses prescription.

“This assessment is beneficial not only for children with current prescriptions but also for those with a family history of myopia,” Matthew explained. “By comparing eye growth against established benchmarks, we can identify children at risk of developing myopia and begin early interventions.”

How MiyoSmart Lenses Can Help

MiyoSmart lenses provide a proactive approach to managing myopia. These lenses are specifically designed for children at high risk of developing myopia and work by altering the way light is focused within the eye, slowing down excessive growth and helping to maintain eye health over time.

With careful frame selection, Matthew’s son now wears his MiyoSmart glasses full-time and is thrilled with them. “We’ll monitor his axial length and prescription closely to track changes, but I feel reassured knowing we’re doing all we can to reduce his myopia risk,” Matthew shared.

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The Importance of Myopia Management and Regular Assessments

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