How Can You Stop Your Eyesight from Getting Worse?

No single habit can completely stop your prescription, and especially short-sightedness (myopia), from getting worse, but some measures can help slow it down. For children, the most important ones are spending time outdoors, taking regular breaks from close-up work and keeping up with eye exams. If a child's myopia is progressing quickly, the ophthalmologist may also consider treatments designed to slow its progression.

In short:

• Children should spend time outdoors every day; around 2 hours a day is generally recommended.
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule during close-up work.
• Do not hold your phone or book too close to your eyes; keep a distance of at least 30-40 cm.
• Have your eyes checked as often as your doctor recommends.
• Wear your glasses as your doctor advises.

Why Does Your Prescription Get Worse?

Myopia progression means that the eye's inability to see distant objects clearly increases over time. It mostly happens during the school years and adolescence, while the eye is still growing. In myopia, the eyeball is longer than normal from front to back, so images are focused in front of the retina rather than on it; as the eye keeps lengthening during childhood, the prescription rises. Myopia, or short-sightedness, is one of the most common vision problems in both children and adults.

The main factors linked to myopia progression are having a short-sighted parent, myopia starting at an early age, long periods of close-up work and spending little time outdoors. Heavy use of digital screens and fewer outdoor activities are thought to contribute to myopia becoming more common, especially among children.

High myopia can increase the risk of certain eye conditions later in life, such as retinal tears and retinal detachment. This is why slowing the rate of progression in childhood matters not only for the glasses prescription but also for eye health in later years. You can read more about retinal changes that can occur in high myopia in our article on signs of retinal thinning.

Until What Age Does Myopia Progress?

In most people, myopia begins during the school years, increases through adolescence and usually slows down and stabilises in the early twenties. This varies from person to person: when myopia starts early, the prescription can rise for longer and by more, and some people continue to see a slight increase in adulthood.

Laser eye surgery does not stop myopia from progressing; it corrects the existing prescription. That is why laser treatment is considered from the age of 18, and generally once your prescription has been stable for at least 1 year.

What Can You Do in Everyday Life?

Spending time outdoors, taking breaks from close-up work and not holding screens too close to your eyes are everyday measures that support your eyes. On their own, these measures do not stop your prescription from rising, but especially in children they are a valuable addition to treatment.

Spending More Time Outdoors

Spending time outdoors is thought to have a protective effect against myopia in children. Research suggests this effect is strongest in delaying the onset of myopia; in children who are already short-sighted, its effect on progression is more limited. Daylight and looking into the distance are both thought to play a role.

• Children: Around 2 hours outdoors a day is generally recommended. This can be built up in smaller blocks through school breaks, walks and play.

On sunny days, remember to protect your child's eyes with a hat and suitable sunglasses.

Keeping Screen Time Under Control

Planning your screen time consciously and taking breaks reduces eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule helps relieve eye strain: after every 20 minutes of close-up work, look at something about 6 metres away for 20 seconds. This rule is about comfort; on its own it does not stop your prescription from rising.

For more on how focusing strain during close-up work can cause temporary blurred vision, see our article on eye fatigue and pseudomyopia.

Recommended Screen Distances

• Phone and books: At least 30-40 cm
• Tablet: About 40-50 cm
• Computer: Slightly below eye level and about an arm's length away, 50-70 cm

Adjusting screen brightness to the surrounding light also helps reduce eye strain.

Setting Up Your Workspace

Close-up work is often unavoidable at school and at work, but you can make changes that reduce eye strain:

• Make sure the lighting is good and avoid working in dim conditions.
• Sit upright at the desk and keep the screen slightly below eye level.
• Keep at least 30 cm between your eyes and your book or notebook.
• Take a short break and look into the distance about every 30-45 minutes.

These simple adjustments help reduce unnecessary strain on the eye's focusing system.

Remembering to blink while looking at a screen and keeping the room from getting too dry reduce discomfort caused by dry eyes; these measures are for your comfort.

What Should Parents Watch for in Children?

In children, the prescription can rise faster than in adults. That is why building good habits from an early age is so important. Regular eye exams help detect problems early. You can find more information on our page about refractive errors in children.

• Try to limit the time your child spends on screens at close range, and build in breaks.
• Break up homework and reading time and remind your child to take breaks.
• Make outdoor activities part of the daily routine.
• If your child squints, cannot see the board at school or holds screens very close, take them to an eye doctor.

Habits formed early support eye health; in children whose prescription is rising quickly, however, these habits do not replace the treatment the doctor recommends, they complement it.

Are There Treatments That Slow Myopia Progression?

Yes, there are treatments used to slow myopia progression in children. They do not cure myopia or reverse the prescription; the aim is for the prescription to rise more slowly throughout childhood. The main widely accepted options are:

Treatment	How it works	Things to keep in mind
Low-dose atropine eye drops	Usually applied every evening before bed	Must be used regularly for years; mild light sensitivity or slight difficulty focusing up close can occur
Orthokeratology (night lenses)	Rigid lenses worn overnight temporarily reshape the cornea; during the day, the child can usually see without glasses	Lens hygiene must be followed very strictly; poor hygiene increases the risk of eye infection
Myopia control spectacle lenses	Specially designed lenses worn as everyday glasses	The glasses need to be worn consistently throughout the day to be effective
Myopia control soft contact lenses	Specially designed soft lenses worn during the day	Suitable for children old enough to handle contact lenses; hygiene rules must be followed

The effect of these treatments varies from child to child, and none of them stops progression completely. Your ophthalmologist decides which treatment is right for your child, based on age, prescription, how fast it is rising, the structure of the eye and daily routine. In some cases, two methods may be combined. During treatment, the prescription and, if needed, the length of the eye are monitored at regular check-ups, and your doctor also decides how long treatment should continue.

Does Diet Affect Your Prescription?

Diet does not stop myopia from progressing, but a healthy diet supports overall eye health. Fish, leafy green vegetables and fruit can be part of a balanced diet; however, no food or vitamin lowers your prescription. For more on how the fatty acids found in fish affect the eyes, see our article on the benefits of omega-3 for the eyes.

How Often Should You Have an Eye Exam?

Only regular eye exams can show how quickly your prescription is changing. In children whose myopia is rising quickly, regular check-ups allow the doctor to start any necessary treatment early. How often you need an eye exam depends on your age and situation:

• Children: Usually once a year; for children whose myopia is progressing or who are being treated, the doctor may recommend a check-up every 6 months.
• Adults without symptoms: Every 2 years until the age of 40, then once a year.
• Adults who wear glasses or contact lenses: As often as your doctor recommends, usually once a year.
• People who do a lot of close-up work: More frequent check-ups may be recommended.

An eye exam allows the rate of change to be tracked so that, if needed, the doctor can consider suitable treatment options.

Good habits and regular check-ups make it easier to monitor myopia and treat it when needed. Your ophthalmologist will assess the treatment options for slowing progression. This advice is general; every person's eyes and needs are different. If you have symptoms or your prescription is rising quickly, see an eye doctor.

You can find more about what you can do for your overall eye health in our article on protecting your eye health.