Myopia Control
Does your child have difficulty seeing distant objects? Myopia (nearsightedness) typically starts to develop in childhood and often progresses until about age 20. Eye doctors have been very concerned with myopia especially in young children.
Slowing the progression is important because it may reduce the risk of developing serious eye conditions later in life such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, and blindness.
Nearsightedness is a growing concern in the US and other countries. It is estimated that by the year 2050, roughly half of the world’s population will be affected by this condition. Myopic eyes tend to be longer than an average human eye, thus leading to retinal conditions such retinal holes, tears or even retinal detachments.
How do you “control” myopia?
Determining a myopia control plan for your child starts with a visit to your eye doctor. There are a few main approaches to controlling myopia in children, one of which is multifocal contact lenses.
Multifocal contacts lenses
Multifocal contact lenses are special contacts that have different powers in different zones of the lens. MiSight is the only FDA approved lens for the treatment of myopia.
Researchers and eye doctors have found that multifocal soft contact lenses are also effective tools for myopia control in children. Some research demonstrates that using soft multifocal lenses in children caused a 25-50% reduction in progression over 2 years
If your child’s prescription continues to worsen annually, it is important to seek early intervention. Make an appointment today with your Eyes on Lakeland eye doctor to determine if your child is a candidate.
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references:
- Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight® lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019; 96(8):556–67.
