Myopia Control

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic rise in myopia, or near-sightedness, in children. This has led some leading researchers to classify it as an “epidemic.” Currently, more than 41% of people in the United States are suffering from myopia. As young parents who are both near-sighted themselves, Drs. Huber have taken a vested interest in myopia control. Their goal is to be able to identify the potential for progression of myopia early and devise a plan to help slow the progression down.

Why worry about myopia control?

The most obvious and immediate reason to think about myopia control is to keep your child’s prescription from continuously getting stronger. As the near-sightedness progresses, a child becomes more dependent on their glasses to see the environment around them. They will also continue to require thicker, heavier lenses in their glasses to correct their vision.

There are also long-term implications of myopia as well. High levels of near-sightedness have been associated with serious eye problems later in life, such as increased risk for glaucoma, retinal detachment, early cataract formation, and myopic retinopathy.

What are the treatment options for myopia control?

While currently there are no FDA-approved treatment methods to control myopia in the United States, there are several options that have been approved in other countries that are available “off label” in the US. These treatment options include spectacle lenses, contact lenses, therapy with eye drops, and orthokeratology/corneal refractive therapy (CRT).

For more information on myopia control, visit this article. If you would like to find out if myopia control is a good option for your child, please schedule an appointment.