At Elk Grove Optometry, we strive to ensure our patients have clear and healthy vision throughout their life. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a growing concern in our community and especially in our children who are now growing up in the digital age.
Myopia can develop at any time in life, but when a child becomes nearsighted, their prescription tends to increase through their teenage years. As the prescription increases, so do the risks of developing sight threatening conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
A person with myopia can still achieve clear vision with glasses and contact lenses, however it is likely that their prescription will increase, especially in a child.
What is myopia control?
The goal of myopia control is to slow down the growth of the eye and limit how high a child’s glasses prescription becomes. In turn this helps reduce the risk of developing further eye health problems during their lifetime.
Traditional glasses and contact lenses may help a person with myopia see clearly, but it does not help stop the prescription from changing. Myopia control uses specialty contact lenses or eye drops that have strong evidence of slowing down the change in prescription.
If you think that this sounds like it might be a good fit for your child, contact our office today to discuss further options!
And make sure to check out our Myopia Monday series on our Instagram!