Myopia Care for Kids
Myopia (nearsightedness, where distance vision is blurry) is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 in 3 U.S. children now myopic. Researchers believe that the environment kids grow up in today, with too many close distance activities (like reading and device use) and lack of outdoor play is contributing to the rapid increase in childhood myopia. While glasses and contact lenses compensate for a child’s blurry distance vision, they don’t stop your child’s vision from continuing to deteriorate. As children grow, myopia often develops as they reach school age and, untreated, progresses into the late teens.
The Dangers of Myopia Nearsightedness
Studies now show there is more to worry about with myopic eyes than the inconvenience of ever-thickening lenses. Scientific evidence has proven that myopic patients are more vulnerable to a range of sight-threatening diseases and complications. Patients with mild myopia have a four-fold increase in the risk of retinal detachment. For those with moderate to severe myopia, the risk increases ten times. One study concluded that more than 50 percent of retinal detachments not related to trauma are associated with myopia. Other myopia risks include glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.
| EYE DISEASE | -2.00D | -4.00D | -6.00D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myopic Maculopathy1 | 2.2x | 9.7x | 40.6x |
| Retinal Detachment2 | 3.1x | 9.0x | 21.5x |
| Glaucoma1 | 2.3x | 3.3x | 3.3x |
1 Blue Mountain Eye Study, Vongphanit et al., 2002
2 Ogawa & Tanaka, 1988
Myopia Can Be Managed
The dangers of myopia, in conjunction with the normal challenges of subpar vision, mean it is important for parents of myopic children to manage the condition as part of your child’s eye health. The goal of myopia management is to slow or even stop the progression of myopia and reduce its impact on your child’s life. The younger myopia management begins, the more effective the treatment.
We are excited at Birmingham Vision Care to announce the launch of our children’s myopia management service. The revolutionary system, designed to treat your child’s myopia and significantly reduce the threat of more serious eye diseases, is one of the most important innovations since glasses were first prescribed hundreds of years ago!
Schedule an appointment today and one of our doctors will evaluate your child’s vision and make a customized treatment plan to slow or even stop myopia from progressing.
Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Myopia Management
Birmingham Vision Care offers consultations to discuss myopia management. Get in touch with us today to schedule a comprehensive eye exam for your child! Call us at phone (248) 539-4800 or schedule an appointment online.
In Office Myopia Management Treatments
Ortho-Keratology
Ortho-K lenses are custom contact lenses that help manage myopia. Worn overnight, they temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing clear vision during the day without glasses. Each lens is specifically designed to fit the unique shape of each child's eye. The Doctors at BVC have been prescribing Ortho-K lenses for over 20 years!
Multifocal Contacts
These specialty lenses are soft lenses designed with children and myopia management in mind, they are not the same multifocals used for adults. The lenses are worn during the day and have specific optical zones that result in clear vision and prevent the progression of myopia.
Prescription Drops:
Atropine is a prescription drop used in managing myopia This drop can be formulated at different concentrations that our doctors determine may best work for your child. It is a great option for children that are not good candidates for contact lenses.