Myopia Control Specialist
-
- Tweet
Stockdale Optometry
Optometry & Licensed Optometrists located in Bakersfield, CA
Nearly 30% of Americans have myopia, or nearsightedness. The condition often first appears in the elementary years, when a child may have trouble reading whiteboards at school. Myopia generally progresses until the 20s, but myopia control can slow its progression. The optometric physicians at Stockdale Optometry in Bakersfield, California, offer the best in myopia control to keep vision intact. Whether it’s you or your child experiencing nearsightedness, don’t wait to learn more about myopia control. Schedule an appointment online or by phone today.
Myopia Control
What is myopia?
Myopia is nearsightedness. If you’re nearsighted, it means that you can see clearly up close but your distance vision is blurry. Common signs of myopia include:
- Trouble seeing distant objects
- Eye strain
- Squinting
- Difficulty seeing at night
For children, signs of myopia may be:
- Needing to sit at the front of the classroom to see the board
- Squinting
- Being unaware of distant objects
- Excessive blinking
- Excessive eye rubbing
Myopia is generally diagnosed at your regular eye exam. People who spend a lot of time reading or working on a computer may be more likely to have myopia. Children are at higher risk for myopia if both their parents have it.
What is myopia control?
Myopia develops when your eye bends light incorrectly. Signs can appear slowly over time, and it’s not always easy to notice that your distance vision is deteriorating.
The exact cause of myopia isn’t known, but it’s affected by the shape of your eye. It can happen if your eyeball is longer than normal or your cornea has more of a curve than normal.
Myopia control is treatment focused on slowing the progression of myopia. Myopia can’t be cured, but controlling it is generally effective to keep vision from getting worse.
Myopia control may also help prevent other complications later in life. Severe myopia can cause early-onset cataracts, glaucoma, and even retinal detachment. By preventing myopia progression, you can preserve your eye health longer.
What treatments are included in myopia control?
A common method of treatment for myopia is prescribing glasses or contact lenses. Glasses and contacts correct the way your eyes focus light, so distant objects appear sharper. But while glasses and contacts improve distance vision, they don’t address the cause of myopia.
Other treatments that can work to control myopia include orthokeratology (ortho-k) and atropine eye drops. Ortho-k treatment involves wearing rigid contact lenses while you sleep. The contacts reshape the eye to improve the way it bends light.
Atropine eye drops treat eye inflammation, but also work to relieve eye fatigue from problems focusing. These eye drops are particularly effective for children with myopia, and research shows that they can reduce myopia progression by up to 77% in some cases.
For comprehensive eye care and myopia control, visit the team at Stockdale Optometry. Book your first appointment online or by phone today.
