New Year, Healthier Eyes: How Everyday Habits Can Support Your Child’s Vision in 2026

Why Myopia Is More Than Just Needing Glasses

Myopia means a child can see clearly up close but has trouble seeing far away. What is less obvious is that myopia is linked to how the eye grows. As myopia progresses, the eye becomes longer, which can increase the risk of eye health problems later in life.

That is why pediatric eye care today focuses not only on helping kids see clearly, but also on slowing myopia progression early, when it matters most.

Treatments like specialty spectacle lenses and certain contact lenses now have research showing they can slow progression. For example, Essilor^® Stellest^® lenses are designed to help reduce the progression of myopia in children.

Another option for some kids is MiSight^® 1 day contact lenses, which are made specifically to help manage myopia while providing clear vision.

These clinical options work best when they are paired with healthy daily habits at home.

The Big Picture: Daily Routines and Growing Eyes

Doctors and researchers increasingly talk about myopia as part of whole-child health. A child’s eyes are influenced by how they sleep, eat, learn, and play every day.

One helpful way to think about this is the connection between sleep, vision habits, and nutrition. None of these alone prevents myopia, but together they help create an environment that supports healthy development.

Screen Time and Near Work: Finding a Healthier Balance

Screens are a normal part of childhood today. Schoolwork, entertainment, and social connection often happen on screens, and that is not going away.

The concern is not screens alone, but long periods of close-up focus without breaks, especially when screens replace outdoor time.
When kids spend most of their day indoors focusing up close, their eyes miss out on distance viewing and natural light, both of which support healthy visual development.

Helpful habits to try

• Encourage kids to take natural breaks from close work
• Mix screen time with movement and play
• Avoid screens close to bedtime to protect sleep quality

The goal is balance, not perfection.

Outdoor Time: One of the Most Powerful Tools We Have

Spending time outdoors is one of the most consistently supported ways to reduce the risk of myopia onset and slow progression.
Natural light and looking at things far away give growing eyes a break that indoor environments cannot provide.

Outdoor time does not have to mean organized sports or long outings. Playing in the yard, walking the dog, or heading to the park after school all count.

Looking Ahead

Clinical treatments play an important role in managing childhood myopia, but they work best when supported by healthy routines at home.

In our next post, we’ll take a closer look at how sleep and nutrition support growing eyes—and how families can bring all of these habits together in a realistic, sustainable way.

Ready to Learn More About Your Child’s Vision?

If you are wondering whether your child might be developing myopia, or if you want to understand today’s myopia management options more clearly, you do not have to figure it out alone.
You can:

• Learn more about childhood myopia and treatment options at https://treehouseeyes.com
• Schedule a free virtual consultation with a Treehouse Eyes expert to ask questions and get guidance specific to your child here: https://treehouseeyes.com/virtualconsult/
• Take the Treehouse Eyes Expert Myopia Risk Assessment to better understand your child’s risk and next steps: https://treehouseeyes.com/what-is-my-childs-risk/

A short conversation can help you feel more confident about next steps and whether myopia management is right for your family.

Here’s to a new year of healthier routines, healthier eyes, and support you can trust!