Myopia Control & Management

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is an eye condition that occurs due to excess growth and stretching at the back of the eye or the cornea is too curved. This causes more distant objects to be blurred and some symptoms such as headaches, squinting, eye strain, and eye fatigue may occur. Conventional glasses and contact lenses can correct this problem, however it does not treat the progressive nature of myopia. The prevalence of myopia is increasing worldwide and our goal is to help reduce the risk of irreversible vision with myopia management. Treating myopia is crucial among children since they are still in their developmental years, which is a phase when the eyes are going through changes. If neglected, myopia can lead to higher prescriptions and higher susceptibility to sight-threatening diseases such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

There are a few specialized treatment options that work to slow the eye growth underlying myopia:

Atropine eye drops are used to dilate the pupil and temporarily paralyze accommodation and relax the eyes’ focusing mechanism. Atropine eye drops are similar to the dilating drops used in a routine dilated eye exam, however Atropine eye drops are long-lasting and can take a week or longer to wear off. This method has been proven effective in reducing myopia progression.

Misight 1 day contact lens is the only FDA approved soft contact lens indicated to help slow down the progression of myopia and elongation of the eyes in children aged 8-12 at initiation of treatment. Our doctors are one of the few that are certified providers in the Brilliant Futures Myopia Management Program offering these lenses.

Multifocal glasses work similarly to multifocal contacts, however with less impressive results than produced with multifocal contacts.

Also known as “corneal reshaping lenses”, ortho-K contact lenses are specially designed rigid gas-permeable contact lenses that are worn only at night during sleep and removed in the morning. These lenses temporarily reshape the cornea so the wearer can see clearly during waking hours without use of daytime correction.

As the rate of myopia is on the rise, research shows that children who are nearsighted will typically worsen over time. This will result in an increased risk of developing irreversible vision loss. The best way to take advantage of methods to control myopia is to detect nearsightedness early. Schedule an appointment with us today to see which myopia management is the right fit for your child!