Millions of people experience myopia (nearsightedness), a common refractive error, but leaving it unmanaged can increase the risk of developing serious eye conditions later in life.
While you can’t cure or reverse myopia, we can prevent it from getting worse through myopia control therapies and a holistic approach that includes lifestyle changes.
Annual routine eye exams help detect myopia early, encouraging timely intervention for these therapies for more effective results.
All About Myopia Management
Myopia is an eye condition that makes distant objects appear blurry while close-up remains clear. It causes the eye’s shape to elongate or the cornea to become overly curved, causing incoming light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it.
Myopia usually begins in childhood and, without proper management, worsens until eye growth stops. As it progresses, the eye elongates, stressing its delicate structures and increasing the risk of serious eye conditions later in life.
Currently, no cure exists for myopia because of how it changes the eye’s shape permanently. Corrective tools, like glasses, contact lenses, and surgeries like LASIK, can only compensate for or temporarily modify vision instead of “fixing” the cause of myopia.
However, we can prevent vision from worsening with myopia control therapies.
What Is Myopia Control?
Myopia control involves therapies designed to slow its progression and reduce the risk of severe vision-related health issues.
These therapies work by targeting the eye’s focusing mechanism, regulating how light enters the eye, and halting the stimulus for eye elongation.
Ideally, kids should start myopia management early, as eye doctors usually diagnose myopia in kids between 6–13 years old.
Early intervention is crucial while their eyes are still growing and developing, making it easier to adapt to changes from these therapies. After age 20, vision tends to stabilize, and therapies may be less effective.
Myopia Control Therapies with ERC Optometry
At ERC Optometry, we take myopia management seriously.
We’re proud to offer progressive therapies proven to help reduce myopia progression while keeping comfort and practicality in mind. We uniquely tailor each plan to meet your child’s diverse vision needs for a more collaborative approach.
Regardless of your chosen therapy, remaining consistent is key to achieving your desired results.
Atropine Drops
Low-dose atropine drops are a popular option for slowing myopia progression in children.
Kids (or their adult helper) apply the eye drops once daily before bed. Atropine dilates pupils, which helps relax the eye’s focusing muscles and reduces the continuous strain that contributes to eye elongation.
MiYOSMART Eyeglass Lenses
MiYOSMART lenses incorporate Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) technology, creating a unique lens surface with multiple segments designed to provide myopic defocus.
The defocus reduces eye strain and encourages the eye to adjust its growth pattern, effectively reducing the pace of eye elongation.
MiYOSMART lenses can provide clear central vision and create a treatment zone that helps manage myopia progression.
Orthokeratology Lenses
Orthokeratology (ortho-k) lenses are specialized gas-permeable contact lenses designed for overnight wear. While you sleep, these lenses gently reshape the cornea, altering how light is focused on the retina and controlling the stimulus responsible for eye elongation.
When you remove the lenses for the day, the temporary reshaping enables the wearer to enjoy clearer vision without needing corrective lenses.
What makes ortho-k lenses particularly unique is their effectiveness in slowing myopia progression in children and young adults up to age 29.
MiSight Contact Lenses
Soft and daily disposable MiSight contact lenses incorporate a dual-focus design. These treatment zones within the lens create peripheral defocus, which helps to signal the eye to slow down its elongation.
MiSight contact lenses offer comfort and convenience for children who prefer not to wear glasses.
A Holistic Approach to Myopia Management
A holistic approach to myopia management includes incorporating lifestyle changes that can help prevent myopia from developing or worsening in the first place.
Genetics plays a significant role in myopia development. Children with at least one parent who has myopia are at a higher risk of developing this condition. However, there are significant environmental factors that we can help manage.
Prolonged near work, such as reading, screen use, or studying, combined with insufficient time spent outdoors, has been linked to an increased risk of myopia progression. Understanding these causes helps empower families to proactively safeguard their children’s vision.
Fortunately, there are steps we can take to help prevent myopia from developing. Combining these strategies with myopia control therapies to help prevent worsening vision.
- Encourage outdoor activities: Spending at least 2 hours a day outside can significantly lower the chances of myopia in children. Natural light may help regulate eye growth in ways artificial light cannot.
- Limit screen time: Extended use of digital screens and close-up work, like reading or studying, can lead to eye strain, which can be a significant contributor to myopia. Encourage regular breaks by following the 20-20-20 rule; every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Use proper lighting: When doing close-up tasks that require ongoing focus, like reading or doing homework, keep the space well-light to reduce eye strain.
- Schedule annual eye exams: Regular comprehensive eye exams can catch early signs of myopia and allow timely intervention to manage its progression. Yearly eye exams are strongly encouraged for children while their eyes grow and develop.
Implementing these small but effective preventative measures helps reduce factors contributing to myopia while promoting healthy habits and long-term eye health.
Safeguard Your Sight
Although there’s no permanent cure for myopia, therapies and preventative strategies offer hope for a brighter, clearer future.
At ERC Optometry, we’re committed to providing effective solutions tailored to your family’s needs. Connect with our team to start your myopia control journey.
