5 myths about myopia that it's time to stop believing

When a child's vision deteriorates, parents start looking for information and advice. Unfortunately, alongside useful data, they often come across persistent myths passed down from generation to generation. Some of these misconceptions are harmless, but others can lead to wasted precious time and worsening of the situation. Let us examine the five most common myths about myopia and see what science actually says.

Myth 1: Glasses weaken the eyes

This is probably the most persistent misconception. Many parents are convinced that if a child starts wearing glasses, their eyes will "get used to" the help and become even weaker. The logic seems clear: why should the eyes strain if the lenses "work" instead of them? But the physiology of vision works quite differently.

Myopia develops because the eyeball grows too fast in length. Glasses do not influence this growth process -- they simply redirect light so that the image focuses exactly on the retina, not in front of it. Without glasses, the child sees a blurred image, which causes overexertion, headaches, and difficulty learning.

Moreover, the major clinical study COMET (Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial) demonstrated that undercorrection -- that is, intentionally prescribing weaker glasses -- does not slow myopia progression. On the contrary, in some studies, undercorrection was associated with faster deterioration of vision.

Properly prescribed glasses do not accelerate myopia progression. Refusing correction or using lenses that are too weak not only does not help but can worsen the situation.

Source: Chung K, Mohidin N, O'Leary DJ. Undercorrection of myopia enhances rather than inhibits myopia progression. Vision Research, 2002

Conclusion: if the ophthalmologist has prescribed glasses, they should be worn. Proper correction ensures comfortable vision, reduces the load on the accommodation apparatus, and allows the child to learn and develop normally.

Myth 2: Carrots improve vision

The idea that carrots can improve vision has its roots in World War II, when the British military explained the accuracy of their pilots through a diet rich in carrots -- hiding the real reason: the invention of radar. Since then, the link between carrots and sharp vision has become firmly ingrained in the public consciousness.

There is a grain of truth in this myth, but it relates to an entirely different problem. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted in the human body into vitamin A. This vitamin is indeed necessary for eye health: its deficiency can lead to nyctalopia (twilight vision disorder) and in severe cases -- to corneal deterioration.

However, vitamin A has absolutely no effect on the development or progression of myopia. Myopia is a problem related to the shape of the eyeball (it is too long), not to retinal function. No amount of carrots will change the anatomy of the eye or restore visual acuity in case of myopia.

Conclusion: a balanced diet is important for overall eye health, but it is not a means of preventing or treating myopia. Do not rely on diet instead of visiting the ophthalmologist.

Myth 3: The child will outgrow myopia

This is probably the most dangerous of all myths. Some parents hope that with age, the child's vision will "correct itself" and postpone the visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, myopia works exactly the opposite way.

Myopia in children typically begins to develop between the ages of 6-12 and progresses throughout the entire growth period. On average, myopia increases by 0.5-1.0 diopters per year, and the earlier it starts, the more time there is for progression. A child in whom myopia was detected at age 7 risks having a significantly higher degree of myopia by age 18 than one in whom it appeared at age 12.

Vision stabilization usually occurs only at 18-25 years of age, when body growth ends. Until then, myopia typically only progresses. "Outgrowing" myopia is impossible -- an eye that has already elongated will not become shorter.

Source: Chua SY et al., Age of onset of myopia predicts risk of high myopia in later childhood in myopic children. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 2016

Conclusion: the earlier myopia is detected and control is started, the better the prognosis. Waiting for the child to "outgrow" the problem means losing time and a missed opportunity to slow progression.

Myth 4: Not wearing glasses trains the eyes

This myth is closely related to the first one, but has its own logic: if body muscles strengthen through exercise, then the eyes can also be "trained" by making them work without correction. The idea is intuitively clear but anatomically incorrect.

Myopia is not muscular weakness. It is a structural change: the eyeball is too long in relation to the optical power of the cornea and lens. No exercises or "training" without glasses can shorten the eye.

When a myopic child does not wear glasses, they constantly see a blurred image. This causes several problems:

• Visual fatigue and headaches -- the eyes overexert trying to compensate for defocusing
• Declining school performance -- the child cannot see the blackboard, reads with difficulty, loses interest in studying
• Risk of amblyopia -- in young children, prolonged blurred vision can disrupt the normal development of the visual system, causing "lazy eye"
• Possible acceleration of progression -- some studies indicate that image blur on the retina can stimulate further eye growth

Source: Li SY et al., Effect of undercorrection on myopia progression in children. Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 2015

Conclusion: refusing to wear glasses is not training, but depriving the child of comfortable vision. Myopia should be corrected with properly selected glasses, and slowing progression -- with modern control methods.

Myth 5: Myopia is just an inconvenience

Many parents perceive myopia as a minor problem: "Well, they'll wear glasses -- it's nothing serious." For mild myopia (up to -3 diopters), this is partially true -- quality of life with correction is practically no different from normal. But myopia tends to progress, and this is where the main danger lies.

High myopia (over -6 diopters) does not just mean strong glasses. It is a structural change in the eye, in which the retina is stretched and thinned, and the vascular coat is weakened. Even after laser vision correction, these risks persist, because the operation changes the shape of the cornea, not the length of the eye.

Here is how the risks of complications increase with high myopia compared to people without myopia:

• Retinal detachment -- the risk increases 5-6 times. Can lead to irreversible vision loss if emergency surgery is not performed
• Glaucoma -- the probability of development increases 2-3 times. A chronic disease that gradually destroys the optic nerve
• Early cataracts -- lens clouding can begin 10-15 years earlier than in people with normal vision
• Myopic maculopathy -- deterioration of the central retinal area responsible for detailed vision. The main cause of irreversible blindness in high myopia

Source: Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical and environmental factors in myopia aetiology. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, 2012

Each "saved" diopter reduces the cumulative risk of complications. For example, reducing final myopia by just 1 diopter decreases the risk of myopic maculopathy by 40%. That is precisely why myopia control is not just about today's comfort, but about eye health for a lifetime.

Conclusion: myopia is not just an inconvenience, but a disease with potentially serious consequences. It should be treated responsibly, especially if it begins at an early age.

What actually works

Instead of relying on myths, it is worth paying attention to approaches whose effectiveness is confirmed by numerous scientific studies:

• Outdoor walks -- at least 2 hours per day. Bright daylight stimulates dopamine production in the retina, which inhibits excessive eyeball growth. This is the most accessible and scientifically grounded measure for myopia prevention
• Modern spectacle lenses for myopia control. Lenses with peripheral defocus technology (DIMS, HAL) slow myopia progression by 50-67% according to clinical studies
• Orthokeratology lenses (night lenses). Rigid contact lenses worn at night that temporarily reshape the cornea. Proven slowing of progression is 40-50%
• Low-dose atropinization (0.01-0.05%). Eye drops prescribed by the ophthalmologist. In the LAMP and ATOM studies, they demonstrated 30-60% slowing of progression with minimal side effects
• Regular ophthalmological examinations. Measuring eye length (axial biometry) allows objective monitoring of progression and timely adjustment of the strategy

Source: Wildsoet CF et al., IMI — Interventions for Controlling Myopia Onset and Progression Report. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2019

The choice of myopia control method is an individual decision that should be made by the ophthalmologist, taking into account the child's age, degree of myopia, speed of progression, and the family's lifestyle. The most important thing is not to postpone the consultation and not to rely on myths.