Introduction
It’s not uncommon for parents to see their children becoming nearsighted. One of the fastest growing pediatric eye condition is an affliction of the young, with the incidence of myopia increasing significantly in recent decades. According to a 2017 study, nearly 80% of all Americans are nearsighted, with rates higher among Asian Americans and Hispanics. The consequences are significant: vision loss, decreased quality of life and increased health risks including diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration among others. Thankfully as parents we have options today that can help slow or even stop our children’s progression towards high myopia!
What is fastest growing pediatric eye condition?
Myopia is the fastest growing pediatric eye condition. If your child has been diagnosed with myopia, you may be wondering what it means and how to treat it.
Myopia is a condition where the eye becomes too long, causing distant objects to appear blurry. It’s called refractive error because it occurs when light entering the eye does not focus on the retina at a single point (a process called accommodation).
This refractive error can lead to other problems like astigmatism, which causes blurred vision due to irregularities in your cornea or lens (the transparent covering over your pupil).
What are the consequences of myopia?
Now that you know what myopia is and how it can be prevented, let’s talk about the consequences of myopia.
Myopia can lead to other conditions:
The risk of getting nearsighted increases if you spend too much time indoors reading or doing other close work without taking breaks for focusing on distant objects (like when someone reads a book while looking out the window at birds). Spending lots of time outside may help prevent this from happening!
People who have high levels of nearsightedness are more likely than others are as well as developing early cataracts!
Slow your child’s progression with Ortho-K!
If your child is showing signs of myopia, the best way to slow down their progression is with Ortho-K contact lenses.
Ortho-K was developed by pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Belkin in 1986 and has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment for children over seven years old as well as adults who are not ready for contact lenses yet.
Specialty Contact Lenses for children.
Contact lenses are a good option for children who are myopic and need to wear glasses.
Specialty contact lenses are designed specifically for children, so they fit better and stay in place more easily than adult sized specialty contact lenses.
Contact lenses can be a good choice if your child is tired of wearing glasses or would like to avoid the hassle of having to clean their glasses every day.
Contact lenses can also be used to correct astigmatism, which may help reduce the amount of power needed in their glasses or contacts.
How does Atropine work?
Atropine works by slowing down the growth of the eye. It is a topical eye drop that is applied to the eye. It is available in different strengths, so make sure you choose one that matches your child’s needs.
Atropine has been used for many years as a medication to treat glaucoma and other conditions affecting vision, but only recently has it been used for myopia control.
It can be used alone or in combination with other treatments such as eyeglasses, contact lenses or bifocals if necessary.
You have options for slowing your child’s myopia.
You have options for slowing your child’s myopia. The key is to understand that there are four types of myopia control treatment: glasses, contact lenses, refractive surgery (i.e., laser eye surgery), and orthokeratology. In addition, different types of treatments are best suited for different people. For example, a young person who doesn’t want to wear glasses or contacts may be an ideal candidate for orthokeratology; a parent who can’t tolerate wearing anything on their eyes may benefit from refractive surgery; while an adult with high levels of myopia who doesn’t mind wearing glasses every day might choose to undergo refractive surgery instead.
Conclusion
Slow down your child’s myopia with Ortho-k, specialty contact lenses, or Atropine. We know that slow progression is better than no progression at all. If you have any questions about our treatment options, please reach out to us and we will be happy to help! We look forward to helping your child enjoy a lifetime of good vision. Give our office a call today to learn more about myopia control and how we can help 🙂
