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That's true for adults, but children NEED to wear their glasses if the power is significant, and especially if one eye is worse than the other. The nerve network of the retina needs stimulus during the important years for the eye (up to about age 10) or it will not develop the intricate nerve network necessary for sharp vision. I see a lot of teenagers and adults with one permanently weak eye (anisometropic amblyopia or refractive amblyopia) because they weren't corrected at an early enough age. Be sure and get your children checked by at least by age 5 or 6 to make sure they are using both eyes equally. If you notice an eye turning in or out have them checked even earlier.

Is it possible for eye muscles to adjust the shape of the eye (or, more notably, the lens-retina distance) in any significant or useful fashion? If so, I could see potential usefulness for that.

Is it possible for eye muscles to adjust the shape of the eye (or, more notably, the lens-retina distance) in any significant or useful fashion? If so, I could see potential usefulness for that.

The shape of the eye does change shape somewhat as it moves in the socket (elongating as we read or work close up). However, there is not a way to adjust the distance permanently and safely that I'm aware of. Most of the power of the eye is on the front of the eye in the cornea, which is what the RK, PRK, and lasik surgeries have all worked on. A small change in the front curvature makes a lot of difference in the focal point of light on the retina.