It all started when 7-year-old Liam couldn’t hit the baseball anymore—not even close. What used to be easy suddenly became a blur. His parents thought he just needed more practice. But during a routine visit at Navigation Eye Care, we discovered the real culprit: myopia, or nearsightedness.
If your child is squinting at the board, sitting too close to the TV, or missing the ball in gym class, you’re not alone. Myopia is on the rise in kids everywhere—and we’re seeing more cases than ever at our Family Eye Care in Chesapeake, VA. Let’s dive into what’s causing it, how screens play a role, and most importantly, what you can do to protect your child’s vision.
Causes and Risk Factors
Myopia is when the eye grows too long from front to back, causing distant objects to appear blurry. Genetics do play a role—if you or your spouse needed glasses as a child, your child might too. But genes aren’t the only factor in this story.
Lifestyle is a big player in today’s myopia mystery. Compared to just a generation ago, kids now spend far less time outdoors and far more time glued to digital devices. Their eyes are doing a LOT of up-close focusing, and that strain can lead to—or speed up—nearsightedness.
Screen Time and Indoor Life
Let’s be honest: screens are everywhere. From tablets and laptops to phones and video games, it’s not unusual for a child to clock several hours of screen time each day (sometimes before breakfast!).
But here’s the catch: all that screen use means less time outside, less distance focusing, and more visual stress. And the eye, especially in growing kids, adapts. The more it adjusts to near work, the more likely it is to stretch in a way that leads to myopia.
Even reading and other close-up hobbies—while wonderful—can become part of the problem if they’re not balanced with outdoor, long-distance visual play. Our eyes were made to look far just as much as they look near.
How to Slow It Down
Now for the good news: you’re not helpless here. There are some very effective ways to slow myopia down, and that’s where we come in.
At Navigation Eye Care, we provide proven treatments like myopia-control glasses and specialty contact lenses designed to reduce the progression of nearsightedness. These aren’t your ordinary glasses—they’re scientifically crafted tools to help preserve your child’s vision.
And the lifestyle tweaks? Simple and powerful. We recommend the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes of screen time, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away. Bonus points if it’s a tree, the sky, or a sibling running outside.
Encourage at least 90 minutes of outdoor play per day. (Sunshine is good for eyes!) And keep up with regular eye exams so we can track any changes early.
Your Child’s World is Full of Wonder—let’s make sure they can see it clearly. Myopia doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of thick glasses or vision trouble down the road. With early detection and the right care, we can slow it down together.
At Navigation Eye Care, we specialize in Family Eye Care in Chesapeake, VA that goes beyond the basic eye chart. We’re here to support your family with fun, friendly, and forward-thinking care.
Call us today to schedule your child’s next eye exam.
We’ll make it easy, informative, and yes—maybe even a little fun. Your child’s future vision is worth it.
Because when it comes to Family Eye Care in Chesapeake, VA, we don’t just see eyes—we see growing minds, bright futures, and the families who love them. Let’s keep their world in focus.