Myopia or nearsightedness is among the most common vision refraction errors that people live with. In most cases, it starts in childhood and gets progressively worse until about the age of twenty, at which point the eye prescription stays the same. But more and more optometrists resist the idea that a person's vision is some predetermined thing that just needs to be monitored and dealt with as it happens. Our staff at Complete Eye Care of Medina wants you to know that myopia control options are available to prevent your vision from deteriorating.
Something Better for the Kids
Most parents desire for their kids to have things a little better than they had things when they were kids, and when it comes to myopia control, this is definitely the case. At Complete Eye Care of Medina, just west of Maple Grove and Plymouth, our eye doctors are committed to going beyond the basic comprehensive eye exam that most nearsighted adults had to settle for, especially when it comes to children who have the future ahead of them, and want to be able to see as much of it as they possibly can.
The Difference in Myopia Control
Today's myopia control means our optometrist does more than just trying to keep up with the right prescription in a pair of glasses or contact lenses for a child. Because corneas are more flexible in childhood, optometrists have discovered that many times they are able to slow down the advancement of myopia as a child grows. Chances are they will still need some vision correction as adults, but they will have a lower risk of other eye conditions associated with age and will be able to wear a less complex prescription.
Some of the myopia treatment options that have proven effective for many kids include
• Atropine eye drops -A topical eye drop that works with the eye's focusing mechanism. It is sometimes used to help with eye pain, however, there is research to support the possibility of slowing the progression of myopia for some children.
• Orthokeratology (ortho-k) contact lenses - Ortho-K contact lenses are gas-permeable lenses that are worn overnight in order to leave vision corrected during the day. When adults stop wearing the contacts at night, vision normally returns to its old prescription, but when this is started at a younger age, it can sometimes keep myopia to a minimum.
• Multifocal Contact Lenses - various studies have shown a significant reduction in myopia progression for children who wore multifocal contacts for several months.
• Multifocal Eyeglasses - While multi-focal eyeglasses have shown some promise, they don't seem to be as effective in slowing nearsightedness as multifocal contacts.
Schedule an Appointment Today!
To learn more about what you can do to assure that your child's eyesight remains as strong as it can be, contact Complete Eye Care of Medina in Medina, MN at 763-478-3505 to schedule an eye exam.