Geneva Eye Clinic offers a Myopia Management Program for children since your child’s eyeglass prescription may influence their vision more than you think.
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Myopia—or nearsightedness—is very common. One out of two people (50 percent) have it. With myopia, the eye is longer than normal from front to back, or the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye) is too steeply curved. This makes things that are far away look blurry. Myopia is corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery in some cases. Having myopia can increase your chances of having some eye problems later, like cataract, glaucoma, and retinal detachment.
Studies show myopia is becoming more common among children. While there is no proven direct link, research suggests that children who spend more time indoors doing near-focused activities (such as computer work, video games, and reading) have higher rates of myopia than those who spend more time outdoors.
Doctors are looking at ways to slow the progression of myopia in children. While myopia cannot be reversed, the goal of treatment is to keep it from getting worse. This can protect a child’s eye health in the future, despite still needing to wear glasses or contact lenses.
Request an appointmentThere are now FDA-approved eyeglasses to slow myopia progression in children ages 6 to 12. While the center of the lens corrects distance vision, the rest of the lens intentionally blurs peripheral (or side) vision. This acts as a signal to the eye to slow its growth. Because eyeball growth worsens myopia, in this way, the eyeglasses help slow it down. Other than visual side effects such as blur or halo, the glasses have not been shown to cause other adverse effects. For the best result, the glasses are worn full-time during waking hours. These may be a good option for children who are too young for contact lens treatments.
MiSight 1 day (omafilcon A) by CooperVision are the first and only FDA-approved daily disposable soft contact lenses designed to both correct childhood nearsightedness (myopia) and slow its progression in children.
Convenient daily disposable soft contact lenses. Of children aged 8-15, who had never worn contact lenses before:
When given to children in small amounts for 2 to 3 years, atropine eye drops may slow the progression of myopia. Doctors do not know exactly how it works, but they think these drops may keep the eye from lengthening too much. Myopia worsens as the eye grows longer.
To get your child’s Myopia Management Program, request an appointment here or Contact Geneva Eye Clinic at (630) 232-1282.
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