What Is Myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is an error of the eye that affects distance vision. Myopia is one of the most common eye conditions in the world—in the US alone, it affects nearly 30% of the population.

Myopia occurs when the eyes grow too long or the cornea becomes too steep, causing light to land in front of the retina instead of on it. When light lands short of the retina, distant objects appear blurry.

Myopia has no cure, and progressive myopia can increase the risk of serious eye problems like retinal detachment, glaucoma, and cataracts. These risks, coupled with an increase of myopia in children, make myopia control especially important.

At Brilliant Eyecare, we offer several methods for slowing myopia progression in children, reducing their risk of developing serious vision problems later in life.

Call us today to find out how we can help slow your child’s myopia.

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Children’s Vision

Children aren’t born with perfect vision. Instead, they learn to use their eyes as they grow. Their vision gets progressively stronger as they get older. By the time they start school, most children have developed depth perception, focusing, and tracking skills.

It’s important to monitor your child’s vision throughout their school-aged years as they may not realize they have a vision problem if one develops. Signs of vision problems include squinting, excessive blinking, or avoiding reading.

Children’s eyes grow rapidly in childhood and slow during adolescence. Children who develop myopia around ages 6 to 8 are more likely to develop high myopia. Some research suggests myopia may be linked to increased near work, such as reading and computer use, and doctors suggest that more time spent outside may help postpone myopia.

Myopia Control

Although myopia can’t be reversed, several methods of myopia control have been shown to effectively slow myopia progression.

Myopia control is most effective while the eyes are growing, so these methods are designed specifically for children’s eyes. At Brilliant Eyecare, we provide specialty eyeglass and contact lenses that are proven to slow myopia in children.

Progressive & Bifocal Glasses

One of our preferred treatments for myopia control is progressive or bifocal glasses. Studies show a small but statistically significant decrease in myopia progression in the first year of use.

MiSight® Daily Contact Lens Program

Recently, MiSight® daily contact lenses have been FDA approved to slow the progression of myopia in children as young as 8. Our experienced doctor is certified to prescribe these lenses.

Atropine Eye Drops

Eye drops with low doses of atropine are commonly used to help manage myopia development in children. In fact, numerous researchers have looked at the effect atropine eye drops have on children, with some concluding that it can help reduce myopia progression by half.

Ortho-K

Orthokeratology contact lenses, also known as ortho-K, are uniquely designed to help reduce myopia development in children.

These contacts are worn at night, where the lenses gently reshape your child’s cornea while they sleep. When your child wakes up, they can remove the contacts and enjoy crisp, clear vision without the need for prescription eyewear. According to clinical trials, researchers suggest that ortho-K contact lenses can reduce myopia progression by up to 56%.

Book a Myopia Control Exam