Myopia Control in Rio Rancho, NM
Is your child nearsighted? There are now options for slowing the progression.
Myopia (nearsightedness) is a refractive condition of the eye that causes light to focus in front of the retina. This results in vision that is worse for far away objects compared to near objects. But myopia is more than just blurry vision. Myopia causes elongation of the eye, and as the eye gets longer, the risk for many eye diseases increases.
The prevalence of myopia is dramatically increasing worldwide. In the United States, the percentage of nearsighted individuals went from 25% in 1972 to 46% in 2002! This is a concern because even with correction by glasses or contact lenses, myopia can affect your lifestyle and your eye health.
Risks of Myopia
There are several significant eye problems that are associated with nearsightedness, particularly with high levels of nearsightedness:
- Cataracts. People with high myopia develop cataracts sooner than people with normal eyes and may not have as good of visual outcomes after cataract surgery.
- Glaucoma. The risk of developing glaucoma in people with even mild amounts of myopia is 2 to 3 times greater than those with no myopia. The risks get higher as the level of myopia gets higher, up to 7 times greater risk compared to those who are farsighted or have no myopia.
- Retinal detachment. Studies have shown that eyes with mild myopia have a 4 times increased risk of retinal detachment compared with eyes without myopia. Among eyes with moderate and high myopia, the risk increased 10 times greater.
Can Myopia Be Cured?
Unfortunately, there is no “cure” for myopia.
Many people believe that myopia is not a big deal because LASIK “cures” myopia. This is unfortunately not true.
LASIK acts like a pair of glasses–vision is better, but the length of the eye remains the same. Therefore, all the risks for eye disease with myopia remain the same even after LASIK. Also, many people with high myopia are not good candidates for LASIK or other laser refractive surgeries.
Can Myopia Be Controlled and Managed?
Yes! We can slow the progression of myopia in children whose prescriptions are changing. And there are evidence-based studies to back up the results. Options include:
- Corneal molding (orthokeratology)
- Specially designed multifocal soft contact lenses
- Atropine eye drops
If you are interested in hearing the options for slowing the progression of myopia in your child, call Vision Source Rio to make an appointment for a myopia control consultation and we can share the custom plans available for your child.
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