LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS OF MYOPIA

People with a higher degree of myopia are at a much higher risk of developing serious eye problems in the future. These conditions can cause partial or full loss of vision if left untreated, so it is important to protect their vision for the long-term with proper myopia management.

Myopic Macular Degeneration

Myopic macular degeneration can occur as a result of high myopia. Because the eyeball is elongated, the retina (light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye) can stretch. Excessive stretching can result in breaks as well as bleeding and leaking blood vessels beneath the macula, the area of the retina responsible for central vision. Without treatment, vision loss can result.

Retinal detachment is an eye emergency. This occurs when the retina (light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye) pulls away from the walls of eye, where it normally sits. This separation causes retinal cells and blood vessels to detach from each other, resulting in permanent vision loss if left untreated.

Cataracts cause the natural lens within your eye to become cloudy. This natural lens sits behind your iris (colored portion of your eye) and is normally clear. A cataract can develop in the lens, causing blurred and, sometimes, blind spots in your vision. Cataracts can be treated surgically when they result in enough loss of vision.

Glaucoma is often referred to as the silent thief, involving gradual damage to the optic nerve that may lead to permanent vision loss. It is oftentimes, but not always, associated with high fluid pressure within the eye. The only way to slow down the progression of glaucoma is by catching it early with regular comprehensive eye exams and lowering the fluid pressure with eye drops, lasers, and/or surgical interventions.

INCREASED RISK OF EYE DISEASE WITH INCREASING DEGREES OF MYOPIA

Is My Child At Risk Of Developing Progressive Myopia?

My Kids Vision is a website with a free online tool that helps parents assess and manage myopia risks for their kids.

Assess My Child’s Risk Factors

Managing Myopia: We Can Help

 

There are resources and strategies available to protect against the development and progression of myopia.

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Comprehensive Eye Exams

The first step in managing myopia is ensuring that your child receives regular eye exams. Comprehensive eye exams give your optometrist the best opportunity to diagnose and manage myopia. The more we know about the state of your child’s ocular health, the better.

MiSight® 1-Day with ActiveControl® Technology therapeutic contact lenses are a comfortable, easy option for myopia control in children. They are the only FDA-approved soft lenses designed to slow myopia progression, while allowing kids to see by correcting their nearsightedness.

MiSight® 1-Day lenses are proven to slow the progression of myopia by 59%, and 95-100% of children say they prefer wearing MiSight® 1-Day lenses over glasses. These lenses are also daily disposables, so your children can throw them out after each use instead of worrying about cleaning them each night.

Your children can enjoy all of their favorite activities with clear vision and comfort

Utilizing specially designed multifocal soft contact lenses rather than traditional glasses or contact lenses can significantly decrease the rate of myopia progression. Multifocal lenses contain both distance and near segments, allowing your child to see clearly at any distance.

This treatment, often referred to as “ortho-k,” involves wearing custom-designed, rigid gas-permeable contact lenses overnight to gently reshape the corneas. Orthokeratology has been proven to greatly slow the rate of myopia progression and usually negates the need for vision correction during the day.

Extremely diluted dilating eyedrops, such as atropine 0.05%, have been proven to slow down the progression of myopia. Most children who use this method of myopia control do not experience increased light sensitivity or near vision difficulty.

Protect Their Eyes with Healthy Habits

Time Outside in Daylight

Studies have shown that spending more time outdoors in daylight greatly decreases the likelihood of developing nearsightedness. Send your children outside to play to prevent myopia. You can tell them the eye doctor said so!

Studies have shown that the amount and intensity of reading or near work that one does are risk factors in the development of nearsightedness.

It’s essential that your child’s prescription for glasses or contact lenses remains up-to-date and accurate. Old prescriptions that may be under-correcting your child have been shown to actually increase the rate of myopia progression.

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Protect your child’s vision and ocular healthy by scheduling their next eye exam with us today!

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