Myopia Management

Understanding Myopia

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision condition that causes distant objects to appear blurry. It occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it.

Family history is one of the strongest risk factors for myopia. Studies have shown that if one parent is nearsighted, a child has about a 33% greater chance of developing myopia. If both parents are nearsighted, that risk increases to more than 50%. Myopia can begin as early as age 3 and often progresses throughout childhood and adolescence.

Lifestyle and environmental factors also play an important role in the development and progression of myopia. Encouraging children to spend more time outdoors, take regular breaks from digital devices, limit prolonged near work, and get adequate sleep may help support healthy visual development.

Many children do not realize their vision is blurry, making myopia difficult to recognize. Signs such as squinting, sitting close to screens or the television, holding books very close, or having difficulty seeing distant objects can easily be overlooked. Because myopia often progresses more rapidly in younger children, early detection and regular comprehensive eye exams are especially important.

Importance of Myopia Management

Myopia can impact a child's performance in school, sports, and everyday activities that require clear distance vision. More importantly, higher levels of myopia are associated with an increased risk of serious eye conditions later in life including early cataract, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration. Managing myopia early can help slow its progression and reduce the risk of these vision-threatening complications.

Regular pediatric eye exams allow for the early detection and management of myopia, helping to slow its progression and protect long-term eye health. If you suspect your child may be nearsighted, scheduling a comprehensive eye exam is the best first step toward preserving clear, healthy vision and eyes.

Length of Treatment

The optimal duration of myopia management varies for each child but typically continues until the eyes have finished growing, usually between ages 18 and 21. Treatment is based on your child's individual needs, eye growth, and changes in their prescription. Myopia management does not reverse the nearsightedness a child already has or completely stop myopia progression. Instead, the goal is to slow the progression of myopia, helping to reduce the final degree of nearsightedness and lower the risk of developing sight-threatening eye conditions later in life.

Our goal at Primary Eyecare Associates is to preserve your child's vision for years to come by using proven myopia management treatments tailored to their individual needs

Types of Myopia Control

MiSight® 1 day is a dual focus soft contact lens that is the only FDA-approved myopia control treatment to provide clear vision while simultaneously slowing the worsening of myopia. It was designed for young children, and its safety and efficacy are supported by a 7-year study and hundreds of thousands of patients.

Low-dose atropine eyedrops are an effective treatment for slowing the progression of myopia in children with mild near blur reported as the only side effect. This treatment is typically administered as one drop in each eye at bedtime.

Soft multifocal contact lenses were originally designed to help adults see clearly at far away, midrange, and close up, but studies have shown that they can help slow myopia progression in children as well.

Glasses with Stellest lenses are the first FDA approved lenses designed to slow the progression of myopia in children, showing an average reduction of 71% in myopia progression over two years compared to standard lenses. They work by using specialized technology to manage peripheral light focus to help control eye growth.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) rigid contact lenses temporarily reshape the cornea overnight. Upon removal in the morning, nearsightedness is corrected, delivering clear vision all during the day. Vision can start to blur at the end of the day. These lenses must be worn each night to maintain clear vision.

If your child is having trouble seeing objects at a distance, schedule a comprehensive eye exam. Early detection and myopia management can help slow the progression of nearsightedness and reduce the risk of serious eye conditions later in life. Contact Primary Eyecare today to learn how we can help protect your child's vision and support a lifetime of healthy eyes.