Slowing Nearsightedness With Myopia Control

The National Eye Institute recognizes that nearsightedness (myopia) is a progressive eye condition in children. Pediatric eye doctors should start myopia control as soon as they establish a diagnosis. Once children start myopia control, the risk of having vision-threatening complications, such as cataracts or glaucoma during adulthood, decreases. If you want to provide myopia control for your child, here’s what you need to know.
 

Atropine Drops

Using atropine drops on your eyes can decrease the pain due to inflammation. These drops can also ease focusing exhaustion. They limit the eye’s ability to change focus temporarily and dilate the affected eye’s pupil. Clinical studies show that using atropine drops can provide a 77 percent decrease in the progression of myopia in children.
 

Known as an anticholinergic agent, atropine attaches to receptors that have agonists like acetylcholine. Atropine activates mydriasis by blocking the contraction of your pupillary sphincter muscle. It also makes the radial iris dilator muscle contract and cause cycloplegia. These actions of atropine make it a viable treatment for myopia control.

 

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Ortho-K or corneal reshaping lenses are special gas permeable (GP) contact lenses. You need to wear them only while you sleep at night. By morning, you remove the Ortho-K lenses and you go about your day with short-term corrected vision. With these lenses, you don’t need to wear corrective eyewear at all during the day.

A two-year study on myopic children proved that Ortho-K lenses decrease eyeball elongation by 43 percent. Children who wore regular corrective eyeglasses did not improve well. Ortho-K lenses are for the correction of low-level to moderate myopia. It may treat myopia that may or may not have astigmatism.

With the help of Ortho-K lenses, parents can handle the application and removal of the lenses. They don’t need to worry about their kids losing contact lenses at all during sports or play activities. Children don’t even have to rely on eyeglasses anymore when they use Ortho-K lenses.

 

Multifocal Eyeglasses

Multifocal eyeglasses help those with presbyopia see clearly at all distances. They work like multifocal lenses. Experts have also established that these lenses can delay the progression of myopia in children. There was three-year research on myopic children. The study revealed that multifocal eyeglasses delayed the worsening of their condition by 51 percent.

 

Your child’s pediatric doctor can catch myopia and delay it with myopia control treatments. At Advanced Eyecare Center, we make sure your child undergoes myopia control comfortably and safely. Please visit our clinics in Perry for a walk-in consultation. You can also call us at 478-412-4200 if you want to set an appointment or ask questions about our myopia control treatments.