Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is becoming more common in children. Without proper management, it can get worse as they grow. Myopia means someone can see close-up objects clearly but has trouble seeing things in the distance. In myopia, the eye grows too long from front to back and continues to lengthen as the condition progresses.
At Baymeadows Vision Center in Jacksonville, Florida, we emphasize the importance of starting myopia management early to protect your child’s future vision. Our expert team offers advanced treatments like orthokeratology (ortho-k) to slow myopia progression, along with other strategies like atropine eye drops and lifestyle changes.
In this blog, we’ll explore why it’s important to start myopia management early and how it can help preserve your child’s vision.
Why early intervention matters
Myopia often starts in childhood and can progress as your child’s eyes grow. It can worsen if left untreated, increasing the likelihood of developing more serious eye problems later in life, such as glaucoma or retinal detachment. The sooner we start myopia management, the better chance we have of slowing it down. This means less impact on your child’s vision both now and in the future, and a lower chance of eye complications as they get older.
Myopia management options
Regular contact lenses and glasses can correct myopic vision, but they won’t address the underlying issue. That is, they won’t stop the eyeball from elongating further, placing your child at risk of serious eye diseases later in life. At Baymeadows Vision Center, we offer myopia management in Jacksonville to slow down myopia progression and sometimes even stop it. If your child is diagnosed with myopia, we may recommend:
Orthokeratology
Orthokeratology (ortho-k) contact lenses correct your child’s vision by gently reshaping the cornea while they sleep. Your child wears the lenses overnight and removes them in the morning, enjoying clear vision throughout the day without glasses or daytime contact lenses.
Along with providing clear vision, ortho-k can also slow the progression of myopia. By reshaping the cornea, ortho-k lenses help reduce the elongation of the eye, which is the primary cause of worsening myopia. A 2018 study showed that ortho-k lenses can reduce myopia progression by 36%–56% in children. Additionally, another study found that children wearing ortho-k lenses experienced significantly fewer changes in their vision compared to those using other treatments.
Atropine eye drops
Low-dose atropine eye drops are typically used at bedtime and have been shown to slow down the rate of myopia progression. Atropine relaxes the eye’s focusing muscles, reducing eye strain and preventing the eyeball from elongating. Atropine won’t completely stop myopia progression, but it can significantly slow the process and protect your child’s vision in the long run.
Lifestyle changes
Research has shown that increased time spent outdoors and reducing close-up activities, like screen time and reading, can help slow myopia progression. Too much screen time can damage children’s eye health and vision, and following the 20-20-20 rule can help minimize the negative effects. Children should look away from screens every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. In addition, they should step away from the screen for at least 10 minutes every hour.
If you’re concerned about your child’s vision, schedule an appointment today at Baymeadows Vision Center and learn more about our effective myopia management solutions. Our team can provide expert advice and determine if myopia management is the right treatment for your child.