Myopia Control

Myopia

What is it?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is very common and its prevalence continues to increase at an alarming rate, especially among children. With myopia, the eye is longer than normal from front to back, and/or the cornea is too steeply curved. While there is no proven direct link, research suggests that children who spend more time indoors doing near focused activities (such as computer work, video games, and reading) have higher rates of myopia than those who spend more time outdoors. 
As the child grows, the axial length of their eyes also grow, contributing to the climb of their glasses prescription. On average, their prescription increases by about 1 diopter each year. Thus, children with myopia at an earlier age face higher risk of becoming severely myopic in adulthood.
What is the big deal?
​Myopia goes beyond the need for glasses. High myopia is associated with notably increased risks for retinal degeneration and detachment, open angle glaucoma, and cataracts at a young age. These associated conditions have a significant lifetime risk of severe visual impairment including blindness. In effort to protect a child’s eye health in the future, doctors and researchers have been looking at ways to slow the progression of myopia in children. While myopia cannot be reversed, the goal of treatment is to keep it from getting worse.
What are treatment options?
Currently, there are four widely accepted treatment methods for myopia control, which have been shown to decrease progression by ~30-60% :
  • Low dose atropine eye drops
  • MiSight - peripheral defocus contact lens
  • Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
  • Anti-fatigue multifocal glasses

​Here at Specs Family Optometry, we are happy to be able to offer all four treatment options. Schedule a consultation to assess which treatment is best for your child!