Myopia is a very common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while those closer by are easy to see without the help of visual aids. It occurs when light that is around us isn’t processed properly by the eyes, causing the messages our brain receives from them to be garbled and our vision appears to be blurred. It’s not only adults that are affected either. Childhood myopia rates are drastically increasing, and it is now estimated that as many as a third of children are now affected by myopia to some extent. This is thought to be partly due to the ‘screen culture’ that captivates young people today, and not spending enough time outdoors and getting natural vitamin D directly from its main source – the sun.

 

Myopia may not sound too serious, but it often goes undiagnosed for far too long or is misdiagnosed in young children. The trouble is that myopia can cause problems with interacting with other people at school and completing schoolwork to the best standard that is possible. Fortunately, nobody needs to live with myopia. Here’s what you need to know about effective myopia control for children.

 

Why is Myopia Control Important?

Since myopia itself isn’t considered a serious eye problem, you may be wondering why eye care professionals recommend treatment to get and keep myopia under control. The truth is that myopia is a progressive condition, and this means that without treatment, your child’s vision will get worse. As you might expect, there are a variety of repercussions if this happens.

 

Firstly, the worse your child’s myopia gets, the stronger the prescription they will need in order to be able to see clearly. Initially, this may not have a significant effect, but ultimately the stronger the prescription that is required, the more likely your child is to need thicker glasses or specific contact lenses. These can be more expensive, and, in the case of glasses, your child might be limited in terms of the frames that can support the new lenses.

 

Secondly, research has identified that children who have high myopia, especially when it reaches high levels in childhood, are more likely to experience a range of vision complications that could have permanent consequences for their vision. For example, studies show that people who have myopia are 1000% more likely to experience a retinal detachment, and 300% more at risk of developing glaucoma, as well as other eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

 

What are My Child’s Options for Myopia Control?

Fortunately, there are several different options for getting and keeping your child’s myopia under control. These include the following:

 

MiSight 1 Day Contact lenses

These contacts are designed specifically for children and target both how clearly, they can see, as well as the underlying myopia itself. These contacts are soft, making them extremely comfortable, while also being disposable which enables you and your child to skip the rigmarole of cleaning and maintenance.

 

Unlike other contact lenses, MiSight contains ActivControl technology which creates a special optical focus that non-invasively inhibits the process that causes myopia to progress. This reduces your child’s risk of experiencing complications caused by high myopia in later life.

 

Ortho-K

Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K for short, is another popular solution for myopia management. Ortho-K also uses bespoke contact lenses. However, unlike MiSightÒ, these are worn overnight while your child sleeps. During this time, they apply gentle pressure to the eyes to reshape them in the way that is needed to correct their myopia. Their eyes are able to retain this shape for some hours the next day, meaning that when you take the Ortho-K lenses out, they will have clear vision for some time without needing glasses or contact lenses. If they wear Ortho-K lenses consistently every night, they should be able to reach a point where their eyes retain this new shape for an entire day. This gives them the flexibility to see without visual aids, while also keeping their myopia under control.

 

The younger myopia management begins, the more effective the treatment is likely to be.

 

Learn more about effective myopia control for children, contact Look! Optometry in Manhattan Beach, CA at (310) 796-5665 to book an appointment today!