Options for Myopia Management

Atropine Eye Drops

Dilute Atropine eye drops are instilled daily.
Atropine can be used in conjunction with eye glasses to slow the progression of myopia by 50%.

Soft MultiFocal Contact Lenses

Soft multifocal contact lenses are typically used in adults over 40 years of age to read clearly as well as see far away. This process also bends light in a way that is beneficial to the eye and has been shown to reduce myopia progression in children by an average of 50%.

Corneal Reshaping Therapy-CRT

These lenses are worn overnight and removed in the morning. They temporarily change the shape of the cornea so the wearer can see clearly during waking hours without the use of daytime contact lenses or glasses. This process been shown to reduce myopia progression by an average of 50%.

Learn More About CRT

Myopia FAQ’s

 

What is Myopia?

Myopia is also known as nearsightedness. Patients who are nearsighted typically have trouble seeing at distance but see well at near.

What Causes Myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long or when the cornea and/or intraocular lens is too curved for the length of the eyeball.

Is Myopia Genetic?

Children who have parents that also have myopia are much more likely to become myopic. There are also environmental factors that cause myopia which include increased amount of near work and lack of outdoor time.

What are the Risks of Myopia?

Patients who are myopic are at a significantly higher risk of developing glaucoma, a retinal detachment, and a specific type of visually debilitating cataract. In addition, patients who are highly myopic are at risk of developing a potentially blinding condition called myopic macular degeneration.

What Can be done to Prevent Myopia?

Several studies have shown that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become myopic.

What Can be done to Manage Myopia to Slow the Progression?

In our office, we offer several different contact lens options that have been proven to slow down myopia.

What is the best age to start Myopia Management?

The best time to start myopia control is at the onset of myopia which is typically between the age of 8 and 16. However, it is never too late to implement myopia control. Keep in mind that the earlier the intervention, the less myopic the child will become and the less likely he/she will be at risk for glaucoma, retinal detachment, cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration.

What if my child starts contact lenses and cannot adapt to them?

There are several “tricks” we can try to help your child be successful in any contact lens design. So, please let us know early in the fitting process so that we can help. If your child still has difficulty after we attempt to ease his/her struggle, we have a back-up plan! And the good news is that the back-up plan is at no additional cost to you.

If your child has difficulty with the overnight design, we will be happy to try the soft lens design. Most children that cannot adapt to the overnight lens have a much easier time adapting to the soft lens design.

If your child has difficulty with the soft lens design, we will design your child a pair of bifocal spectacles. Although spectacles are not as effective as contact lenses for myopia control, they are better than prescribing single vision spectacles.