Are you starting to notice your child squinting more often or struggling to see things at a distance? They may be suffering from myopia, also known as nearsightedness. Most people have heard of this condition, but what they may not realize is that myopia can lead to more serious eye issues later in life if not managed properly. Learn more about this condition and how you can keep your child’s eyes healthy for years to come.
What is myopia?
Myopia is a vision problem where distant objects appear blurry while close objects can be seen clearly. This occurs when the eyeball grows too long, or the cornea is too curved, causing light entering the eye to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. It’s one of the most common vision problems in children and tends to develop during childhood and adolescence.
Why should you be concerned about myopia?
While myopia can often be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, progressive myopia can lead to more serious eye health issues later in life, such as:
- Retinal detachment: The risk of retinal detachment increases with the severity of myopia.
- Glaucoma: High myopia is associated with an increased risk of glaucoma.
- Cataracts: While cataracts can affect anyone, myopic individuals may develop cataracts earlier than those without myopia.
- Myopic maculopathy: This condition can lead to significant vision loss and is a concern for those with high myopia.
Myopia management at Lawrenceville Family Eyecare
Glasses and traditional contact lenses are the most common ways to correct blurry vision caused by myopia, but they will not stop it from getting worse. Myopia management is a custom treatment program designed to slow or even prevent myopia progression in children to reduce the impact of this condition on their eye health. At Lawrenceville Family Eyecare, we offer several advanced myopia management options tailored to your child’s needs:
Orthokeratology (ortho-k)
Ortho-k involves wearing specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses overnight. These lenses gently reshape the cornea, temporarily correcting myopia so your child can see clearly during the day without needing glasses or daytime contacts. This non-surgical approach can also help slow the progression of myopia.
Multifocal contact lenses
Another option we offer is multifocal lenses, which are specially designed contact lenses that help correct both distance vision and near vision simultaneously. By using multifocal lenses, we can help reduce the strain on your child’s eyes and potentially slow down the progression of their myopia.
Atropine 0.1% drops
Atropine eye drops have been shown to effectively slow the progression of myopia in children. Atropine works by relaxing the muscles in the eye that cause it to focus on near objects, helping to slow down the elongation of the eyeball that leads to myopia progression.
As a parent, it’s natural to worry about your child’s health and well-being. But when it comes to myopia, there are effective treatment options available that can help manage this condition and protect your child’s eyesight for years to come. By choosing Lawrenceville Family Eyecare for myopia management services in Lawrenceville, you can rest assured knowing that your child’s eyesight is in good hands. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn how to protect your child’s vision and long-term eye health.
