Myopia Treatment Options and the Importance of Managing the Condition
Poor vision can lead to less than stellar academic performance in school for children and can lead to lifelong vision issues.
But the good news is that myopia, when diagnosed in children, can be treated by an optometrist. These treatments help to slow the progression of myopia and preserve your child’s vision.
Let’s dive into what myopia is and how it can be managed in children.
What is Myopia?
Myopia is more commonly referred to as nearsightedness. This means that objects up close are clear, while objects in the distance appear blurry.
A myopic eye is more elongated from front to back. In children, this happens when the eye grows at a faster rate than usual. Some children may be diagnosed with progressive myopia, which means that the eyes continue to stretch and grow longer. Your child’s nearsightedness will continue to worsen rapidly, particularly in young children.
Sight is one of the ways we navigate our surroundings and can be critical for academic success. If your child has myopia and is assigned to a seat at the back of the classroom, that could make it difficult for them to see the white board, teacher, and other learning aides at the front of the classroom.
That is why it is so important to bring your child to the optometrist for treatment of myopia.
How is Myopia Managed in Children?
Myopia management refers to the various methods that eye doctors use to help slow the progression of myopia in children. These treatments essentially help keep myopia from getting worse quickly.
There are several different methods that your child’s optometrist may use to manage myopia. These can include glasses, different kinds of contact lenses, and eye drops. The key thing to understand about myopia management is that it is more than just throwing on some prescription glasses or contacts to see clearly.
Let’s delve into these treatment options a little more deeply. Special lenses, called peripheral defocus contact lenses, can be highly effective at managing your children’s myopia. These “multifocal” contact lenses have different areas of focus. The center corrects blurry distance vision while the outer portions blur the peripheral vision, helping to slow eye growth and limit myopia.
Orthokeratology contact lenses are worn overnight to correct blurry distance during the day. These lenses flatten the cornea while you sleep, which improves distance vision during the day. Once you stop wearing these lenses, the cornea slowly goes back to its normal shape and myopia will return, however, these lenses may provide some permanent reduction in myopia progression.
Atropine eye drops are actually one of the types of drops that optometrists use to dilate a patient’s eyes for an exam. However, when given to children in much lower concentrations at bedtime, doctors have found these drops help slow the progression of myopia.
When it comes to glasses, it’s important to remember that traditional single-vision lenses only correct nearsightedness and do not treat myopia. Some lenses, such as bifocal or progressive, can create that peripheral myopic defocus but not enough to slow the progression of myopia. This is an option for some children who cannot use contacts or eye drops.
Finally, your child may need to change some daily habits to help manage myopia. If they spend a lot of time doing close-up activities such as drawing, using tablets, or reading, your child’s optometrist will likely recommend taking regular breaks from these activities. Spending time outside can be a great way to do that, especially since sunlight can play a part in healthy eye growth. Just make sure your child takes some sunglasses along!
Can Myopia Be Reversed or Cured in Childhood?
No, the condition cannot be reversed or cured, only slowed down. The majority of myopia occurs prior to age 16, when our bodies are still growing, making it important that you get your child in to see an optometrist as soon as possible.
Why is Myopia Management Important?
So if myopia can’t be reversed or cured, why is treatment so important? This isn’t just about having a certain prescription for clear vision, myopia management is all about looking out for your child’s future eye health.
With management, your child will only need a lower prescription to correct blurry vision. Thinner lenses also mean a better quality of life, less frequent changes in prescriptions during childhood, and more reliable results for laser surgery in the future. Management of the condition also means the risk for vision-threatening eye diseases is greatly reduced.
In other words, this isn’t just about correcting nearsightedness, it’s about protecting the long-term vision and eye health of your child.
Book an Eye Exam Today!
Black Diamond Eye Care is your trusted family optometrist, providing comprehensive eye care. Book an appointment today at one of our three locations in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, and Lakewood, Colorado.
