Caffeine is the most widely used drug in history, with more than 70% of New Zealanders consuming it daily in their coffee, tea, chocolate and caffeinated soft drinks - maybe more in Wellington where our coffee is so good! 

Interestingly there's emerging evidence that caffeine increases the eye's intra-ocular pressure (for a short period 1-2 hours after consumption).  Higher IOPs are associated with glaucoma, and the caffeine increase in IOP is worse in people with glaucoma, or who have a family history of glaucoma and seems to double their chance of developing glaucoma.  As they say "everything in moderation", more so for glaucoma risk people and their caffeine.

There is now new and developing research with options for slowing myopic progression. For a long time it has been known that there is a genetic component to myopia. Having one parent who is myopic doubles the risk of developing myopia, and having two parents increases the risk by 8 times.

If your child is myopic, the likelihood is that it will progress as they grow. For some children this is a slow rate of progression, while others have rapid vision changes.

The treatments which the research has shown to slow myopia progression include assessment of near binocular alignment which may benefit from glasses for close work. Also use of weak atropine eye drops used nightly, or contact lenses specially developed with advanced optics in soft daily disposables.

We recommend all children with myopic parents be examined before the age of 6, to establish risks for further vision changes. These are individual approaches and we are happy to discuss these further with you. 

Click HERE to read more about it.