Myopia

Myopia Control

Is your young child struggling with nearsightedness? Myopia control can help to stop their vision from getting worse. At Lock Family Eye Care in West Des Moines, our eye care specialists are here to help your child's nearsightedness with myopia control. 

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What Is Myopia?

Myopia is the medical term for nearsightedness. People who are nearsighted can easily see objects that are close, but struggle with seeing objects that are far away. Most people who develop nearsightedness begin to lose their ability to focus on far away objects in childhood. If one or both of a child's parents are nearsighted, the child is more likely to be nearsighted as well. Myopia is quite common, affecting at least 30% of the population in the United States. 

Types of Myopia Control

Myopia control is a number of different treatments given by an optometrist to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. When nearsightedness sets in at a very young age, it can increase the likelihood of serious vision conditions, such as glaucoma, later in life. Treating myopia before it has the chance to get serious can help lower the risk of complications down the line. There are four main types of myopia control. 

Atropine eye drops are a commonly prescribed method of myopia control. These eye drops are typically used to reduce eye pain caused by inflammation. Atropine eye drops dilate the pupil, which can reduce focusing fatigue in the eye. Many studies have shown that atropine eye drops are the best way to slow the progression of pediatric myopia. Multifocal contacts and eyeglasses can also be a good way to reduce the progression of nearsightedness in children. The age of the child, as well as personal preference, determines whether glasses or contacts are a better fit. Orthokeratology, or ortho-k contact lenses, are another solution for helping to slow the progression of the condition. Ortho-k lenses are contact lenses that are worn only at night, during sleep. The lens works to reshape the surface of the eye, which takes away the need for vision correction the following day. These effects are temporary, so it's important to either wear the ortho-k lenses every night or rely on another means of vision correction. 

While myopia can be tough for a child, there are many ways to preserve vision for as long as possible. 

Call Our West Des Moines Optometry Center

If you're interested in myopia control for your child, we're here to help. Call our West Des Moines optometry center, Lock Family Eye Care, at (515) 267-1312. Our eye care experts will work with you and your child to develop a plan to stop or slow the progression of your child's nearsightedness.

 

 

 

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