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Myopia Management

What Is Progressive Myopia?

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Nearsightedness or myopia is one of the most prevalent eye disorders worldwide and its incidence is increasing. In fact by 2050, myopia is projected to affect half of the world’s population!

Many children diagnosed with nearsightedness (myopia) experience a consistent worsening of their vision as they grow into adolescence. This condition can be so aggressive that for some, each time they take their child to the eye doctor for a vision checkup, their prescription gets higher.

This is called progressive myopia and can be a serious condition for many children now and in the future. Not only is there a financial burden and inconvenience associated with having to replace eyeglasses on a regular basis, but high myopia is a risk factor for many eye diseases later in life such as retinal detachment, early onset cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

What Causes Progressive Myopia?

Myopia is a refractive error that happens when the eye focuses incoming light in front of the retina, rather than directly on it, resulting in blurred distance vision. While an exact cause of progressive myopia is not known, most research indicates that a combination of environmental and genetic factors trigger the condition.

First of all, there is evidence that a family history of nearsightedness is a contributing factor. Additionally, spending a lot of time indoors may play a role in myopia development, as studies show that children who spend more time outside have less incidence of myopia. Lastly, near point stress, which can be caused from looking at a near object for an extended period of time, can prompt the eye to grow longer and result in myopia. Several eye doctors recommend following the 20-20-20 rule when using digital devices (stopping every 20 minutes to look 20 feet away for 20 seconds) to reduce near point stress caused by computer use.

What Can Be Done To Manage or Treat Myopia?

There are several treatments that have been shown to slow the progression of myopia. Our office offers Distance Center Multifocal Contact Lenses:

This treatment uses distance center (which means the area for seeing at a distance is in the center of the lens) multifocal soft contact lenses to provide clear vision and slow the progression of myopia. The lenses are worn as normal contact lenses during the day. 

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MiSight 1 Day Contact Lenses

MiSight® 1 day contact lenses are the first and only FDA-approved* so contact lenses proven to slow the progression of myopia in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.

FDA-approved CooperVision's MiSight 1 Day Contact Lenses are daily wear, single-use contacts that have been shown to slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children aged 8 to 12 years old at the start of treatment. Slowing the progression of myopia in children may reduce their risk of developing severe eye diseases such as macular degeneration, retinal detachment and glaucoma later in life.

In this unique design, the central part of the MiSight contact lens corrects the refractive error, much like a traditional corrective lens. But the peripheral part of the lens has uniquely designed concentric rings that direct light to focus on the retina. This has been shown to significantly reduce the stimuli causing the eye to grow longer.

Myopia & Your Child

If your child’s vision keeps getting worse, it's more than an annoyance - it can be a serious risk factor for their eye health and vision in the future. The best strategy for myopia control depends on the child and the severity of the case, and requires consultation with an experienced eye doctor in order to determine the best solution. If your child wears glasses, make his or her vision a priority; schedule an eye exam to ensure stable vision and healthy eyes.

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