Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, is a common vision disorder that involves poor distant-range vision. In recent years, more and more children have been afflicted with myopia, which makes myopia control an urgent concern. Read on as local eye doctor Nova Vision Center shares why you should look into myopia control for your children.
What Is Myopia Control?
Myopia is caused by lengthening of the eyeball, and is typically managed through corrective eyewear such as contact lenses or eyeglasses. Myopia control prevents the progression of myopia through treatments that slow down the lengthening of the eye in children and teens. Through myopia control, patients may also benefit from reduced risk of developing conditions such as cataract development, glaucoma, retinal detachment and macular degeneration.
Wearing eyeglasses may have become more fashionable in recent years, but this doesn’t mean you should just rely on such corrective methods. Given that 28% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with myopia—a figure that’s expected to grow to 50% by the year 2050—taking the preventive route through myopia control is the preferable option for children.
Types of Myopia Control
Myopia control programs need to be tailored to every patient. The first thing you should do is schedule an eye exam with an eye care expert to evaluate the progression of your child’s myopia. Some recommended treatments include:
Multifocal Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses — You may already be familiar with bifocal and multifocal eyeglasses. But whereas traditional multifocal lenses are equipped with segmented lenses, modern multifocal glasses feature progressive lenses without a visible segment between the lenses. Multifocal contact lenses work the same way.
Orthokeratology — Also known as corneal refractive therapy, or simply, “ortho-K,” orthokeratology involves wearing specialized contact lenses during sleep. This treatment helps slow the progression of myopia by reshaping the cornea. It works best in children because of their developing eyes. Since the eye springs back to its original shape over time, this treatment needs to be repeated every few years.
Atropine Drops — Treatment using atropine helps slow the progression of myopia by allowing the eyes to dilate during prescribed times, and is often used in combination with ortho-K. Dosage is prescribed by the eye doctor after an eye exam.
If you looking for a local eye expert for a comprehensive eye exam, Nova Vision Center is here for you. Give us a call at (703) 578-3600 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve clients in Arlington and Falls Church, VA.