Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision problem that affects more than two in five people (42%) in the United States. There’s no cure, but myopia control can prevent it from worsening and reduce the risk of more serious vision problems, like retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration.
At Wide Eye Optometry in Encino, Santa Clarita, and Palmdale, California, Mary Demirjian, OD, and our expert team offer comprehensive myopia management services for patients of all ages. Here’s how it works, along with some of the most common treatment options for myopia control.
Myopia control is an umbrella term for several treatments eye doctors use to manage myopia (nearsightedness), a refractive error that affects the way light bounces off the retina at the back of your eye.
Normally, light focuses directly on the retina, allowing for crisp, clear vision. But if you have myopia, light is focused at the front of your retina, causing nearby objects to look clear, but objects in the distance to look blurry.
Often, myopia control is recommended for children and teens. However, it can also be prescribed to adults. Starting myopia control at an early age can help prevent high myopia, or severe nearsightedness, a condition that increases the risk of developing more serious vision problems.
High myopia is usually caused by axial elongation — a condition that causes the eyeball to grow too long from front to back. Myopia control slows this process. Depending on the needs of you or your child, we might recommend:
These lenses change the way light focuses on the retina. We can prescribe myopia-control contact lenses or eyeglasses.
Myopia control eye drops contain atropine, a medication often used to dilate the pupils before eye exams. When administered in people with myopia, atropine relaxes the eye’s focusing mechanisms and prevents the eye from elongating too much. A recent study found that nightly doses of atropine may prevent or delay the onset of myopia in children.
Regular sun exposure helps regulate eye growth. So if your child has myopia, their provider may recommend spending more time outdoors. Prolonged reading and writing (close-up work) can also make myopia worse. Therefore, your child should take regular breaks at school and when doing homework, and shouldn’t sit on a tablet or smartphone for prolonged periods.
Ortho-k is a common vision correction method that involves wearing gas-permeable contact lenses at night. These lenses change the shape of your child’s cornea, enhancing their vision during the day. Studies show it can also prevent the eye from elongating.
Myopia control offers many benefits for children, teens, and even some adults. If you’re interested in learning more about pediatric eye care and the different treatment options for myopia, we’re here to help.
Call or click online to schedule a consultation at your nearest Wide Eye Optometry office in Encino, Santa Clarita, or Palmdale, California, today.