Is Myopia Management Necessary?

Myopia is a common eye problem that necessitates using vision correction eyewear. If it is unchecked, myopia can cause severe eye diseases in the future. It occurs when the light entering your eye gets focused in front of the retina. The light should go on the retina rather than in front of it.

This occurs when your eye’s axial length is abnormally long. It continues to worsen until your eyes develop fully. It typically happens when you are around 20 years old.

Myopia Management

While conventional vision correction methods for myopia are effective, they tend to increase the axial length. This can cause myopia to worsen. This can increase your chances of developing vision-threatening eye conditions like cataracts or glaucoma. In recent years, there have been some developments in ways to stop or slow down the progression of myopia. They are effective during the teenage years or early childhood.

Myopia management is a medical treatment program that aims to control myopia progression. It keeps the level of myopia under control. This ensures your child’s risk of developing serious eye diseases later in life is not high.

Use of Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are the most common vision correction devices for children with myopia. They help with visual acuity for distant images. Often, reduced focusing can lead to myopia development in children, necessitating the need for multifocal or bifocal lenses.

They comprise different lens powers that facilitate clear vision at all distances. The myopia prescription reduces stress on their eyes and slows down its progression.

Use of Contact Lenses

Contacts have a wider field of view compared to eyeglasses. They can also provide clear vision at all distances. Multifocal contact lenses help improve distance vision acuity, just like eyeglasses. It reduces stress on the eyes when reading or indulging in other near vision activities. In turn, this reduces the progression of myopia.

Use of Ortho-k

Orthokeratology reduces myopia progression by reshaping the cornea using special rigid contact lenses. They flatten the cornea, redirecting the way light gets focused on the retina. They are effective when going to sleep. Your child can enjoy clear vision the next day without the help of eyeglasses or contact lenses. This also helps in reducing the progression of myopia.

Use of Atropine Eye Drops

While these medicated eye drops are commonly used to dilate the eyes during a comprehensive eye exam, they are also essential in the reduction of myopia progression. A low dose of eye drops in the lower eyelids of your child can help control the progression of myopia. It is most suitable for kids between eight and 15 years old.

Side effects may include sensitivity to light and blurry vision. Although eye drops slow down myopia progression, your child still needs regular eyewear.

The Takeaway

Myopia management is necessary. It helps prevent your child from contracting serious vision-threatening diseases later in life. Ensure you get regular eye exams at Ocean Park Optometry to catch myopia early. This way, you can begin its management to prevent more serious problems in the future.

For more on myopia management, visit Ocean Park Optometry at our office in Santa Monica, California. You can call (310) 452-1039 today to schedule an appointment.