Myopia: Can My Nearsightedness Be Treated?

What is Myopia?

Myopia is often referred to as nearsightedness (when close-up objects look clear, but distant objects are blurry). Patients with myopia have eyes that are longer than normal from front to back. It is extremely common that 1 out of 2 people have myopia. By 2050, research shows that half of the world’s population will be myopic.

Research has also found that children who spend more time indoors doing near-focused activities (computer work, video games, and reading) have higher rates of myopia than those who spend more time outdoors.

Risks

People who have high myopia also have an increased risk of developing sight threatening complications which include glaucoma, cataracts, retinal tears, retinal detachments, and myopic maculopathy.

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms of myopia include: eyestrain, headaches, squinting, and difficulty seeing faraway objects, such as road signs and whiteboards at school. Moreover, young children with myopia might not complain about their blurry vision. Some kids are born nearsighted, and some don’t become nearsighted until their teen years.With that being said, it is important to get an annual eye exam at a young age for early detection.

Treatments

While myopia cannot be reversed, there are treatments to help it from getting worse. Since, myopia worsens as the eye grows longer the goal in myopia management is to reduce abnormal eye growth and elongation.

Low-dose atropine eye drops

These drops are used for children between 5 and 18 years old. The drops are placed in each eye every night to help slow the progression of myopia.

MiSight One Day Contact Lenses

MiSight 1 Day Contacts are daily disposable contact lenses. They are FDA approved to slow down the progression of myopia.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Ortho-K is a specially designed contact lens that acts as a retainer to reshape the front surface of the eye. These lenses are worn overnight and removed in the morning to correct blurry distance vision during the day. These lenses have also been shown to slow down the progression of myopia.

It is imperative to start myopia treatment early to keep your child’s prescription low and prevent irreversible damage to the eye. Schedule a free consultation for Myopia Control today!