Myopia Control In Children

Myopia impacts more than just the necessity for glasses to fix distorted vision. Kids often go through the progression of myopia, which diminishes their overall well-being and raises the dangers to their eye health. Treatments for managing myopia can now enhance children’s sight and support their long-term eye health. Continue reading to learn everything you should know about managing myopia in children.

What is Myopia?

Individuals suffering from myopia experience a condition where their vision becomes blurry when viewing objects from afar. As myopia intensifies, this blur becomes apparent even when the object is within arm’s reach. This condition is also referred to as near sightedness or short-sightedness.

Myopia typically starts to manifest between the ages of 6 and 14, and it usually worsens gradually over several months in children. It occurs when the eyes expand at a faster and more significant rate than they are supposed to during normal eye development. The eyes should ideally continue to grow in size throughout adolescence, then reach a stable size. However, in myopia, the eyes grow too quickly, leading to a rapid loss of vision and continued eye growth into adolescence and even early adulthood. This ongoing decline in vision is known as myopia progression.

What is Myopia Control?

The application of therapies designed to halt the progression of myopia is referred to as “myopia control.” These therapies encompass atropine eye drops, soft contact lenses, orthokeratology (ortho-k), and specific kinds of glasses. Myopia control is particularly important for children, as this demographic is at the highest risk for rapid progression or worsening of myopia.

Myopia management and myopia control both describe the additional medical attention required for individuals with myopia, both children and adults. Myopia control usually involves the use of eye drops, contact lenses, or glasses to prevent the worsening of myopia. The term myopia control is a comprehensive one, covering both the maintenance of eye health and various lifestyle and environmental factors that could lead to the worsening of myopia.

What are The Advantages of Myopia Control?

The main benefit of addressing myopia is to lower the dangers linked to severe myopia. Individuals with severe myopia face a higher chance of developing conditions like glaucoma, retinal detachments, and myopic maculopathy.

Treating myopia involves wearing glasses or contact lenses to improve vision for distant objects. If your myopia is milder, you’ll find it easier to function in the morning before you need to wear your corrective lenses. You’ll be able to perform tasks more effectively with them than if you were to try to do without them, which could lead to difficulties.

Moreover, a milder prescription makes it more likely that your child will be suitable for laser eye surgery later in life to correct their myopia. This also increases the chances of achieving better visual outcomes after the procedure.

What Else Should I Know About Myopia Control in Children?

Many research findings have shown that the surroundings a child or teenager is in can affect their risk of getting and worsening myopia. When setting up the surroundings, make sure to extend the amount of time your child spends outside. Discuss with your optometrist the best amount of time your child should be outside, using screens, and reading to manage their myopia. These factors can greatly influence the success of treatments aimed at controlling myopia.

Let The Optical Factory Help Your Child Manage Myopia

At The Optical Factory, our optometrists employ advanced technology to create tailored treatment strategies for your child. These strategies encompass unique prescription eye drops and bespoke daytime and night time contact lenses. During your first visit, our optometrist will decide on the most effective treatment strategy for your child.

Book an appointment today to learn more