Category: Children’s Vision

How Can Myopia Be Managed?

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Myopia Management: How Can We Slow the Progression of Myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is increasing and is expected to affect 3.36 billion people worldwide by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. More than just a minor convenience, myopia increases the risk of several potentially serious vision conditions, including macular degeneration and glaucoma. Fortunately, optometrists offer several myopia management treatments and strategies that may slow the progression of myopia in children and adults.

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What Causes Myopia?

Myopia affects your distance vision. Although objects close by look clear, things in the distance are blurry. Nearsightedness can happen when the cornea curves too much or you have an elongated eye. Light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it if your eyeball is too long, causing blurry vision. The light-sensing retina converts light to electrical signals the brain needs to produce images.

You may be more likely to develop myopia if one or both of your parents are nearsighted. Lack of outdoor time, digital screen usage, and spending a long time on near work can increase the risk of myopia.

Managing Myopia

Although myopia can’t be reversed, its progression can be slowed, reducing the risk for several eye diseases. According to guidelines for myopia management published in Modern Optometry in 2022, reducing myopia by 1.00 diopter can reduce open-angle glaucoma and visual impairment by 20% and myopic macular degeneration, a condition that affects central vision, by 40%. Diopters are the units of measurement used to calculate eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions.

Although myopia treatment most often begins in childhood, it can also be useful for adults who are concerned about worsening nearsightedness. Treatment options include:

  • Orthokeratology. Orthokeratology, or ortho-K, contact lenses change the shape of the cornea. The cornea, along with the lens inside the eye, bends light rays onto the retina. Wearing these contact lenses overnight flattens the cornea, ensuring that light rays focus on the retina instead of in front of it. The lenses take a few weeks to work and must be worn every night for best results.
  • Multifocal Contact Lenses. Single-focus lenses provide sharp vision at near or far distances, depending on the prescription. Multifocal contact lenses offer good vision at all distances by including several focusing powers in one lens. The central part of a multifocal lens sharpens near vision, allowing you to read and do close work. Circular bands on the outer edges of the lenses provide good vision at medium and far distances.
  • Peripheral Defocus Contact Lenses. The center portion of peripheral defocus contact lenses provides sharp vision, just like multifocal contact lenses. However, the outer bands of the contact lens blurs (defocuses) side vision. Blurring side vision could slow growth of the eye and progression of myopia.
  • Atropine Eye Drops. Atropine eye drops offer another way to slow myopia progression. The drops are placed in the eyes before bed and work by relaxing the ciliary muscles. These tiny muscles control pupil size and change the shape of the eye’s lens when you focus. According to a clinical trial published in JAMA Ophthalmology in 2023, 0.01% atropine drops slowed the elongation of the eyeball and progression of nearsightedness over a three-year period. Children aged 3 to 16 participated in the research project.
  • Lifestyle Changes. Taking frequent breaks when reading or using digital devices can be helpful in slowing the progression of myopia. Increasing outdoor time during childhood reduced the risk of myopia in young adulthood, according to a research study published in Scientific Reports in 2021.

Wondering if these methods could help you manage your myopia? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.

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The Importance of Limiting Your Child’s Screen Time

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The Importance of Limiting Your Child’s Screen Time

Experts agree that kids should balance screen time with other activities. But is limiting your child’s screen time really necessary? Learn more about how screen time can impact your child’s vision and more!

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The Dangers of Too Much Screen Time

Digital devices make life easier by providing a convenient way to communicate, learn, watch videos, and play games. Unfortunately, many kids spend too much time using screens. Children ages 8 to 12 spend four to six hours daily using screens, while teenagers use screens up to nine hours per day, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

While occasional screen use may not cause problems, spending hours a day viewing screens can increase your child’s risk for:

  • Sleep Issues. Blue light exposure from screens may make it difficult for your son or daughter to fall asleep. Blue light affects melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the sleep/wake cycle.
  • Weaker Bonds with Friends and Family. Kids who use digital devices excessively might not develop strong offline relationships with family and friends.
  • Behavioral Problems. Real-life situations and relationships help kids learn how to manage life’s disappointments and challenges. When children don’t spend enough time in the real world, they may not master patience, social skills, cooperation, listening, sharing, self-control, and other important behavioral skills.
  • Academic Difficulties. Although digital devices make it easier to research information or get homework help, too much screen time may affect academic performance. According to a review published in Cureus in 2023, increased screen time and multi-tasking between devices can worsen academic performance and executive functioning. Executive functioning involves mental skills necessary for memory, self-control, adapting behavior based on the environment, organization, and planning.
  • Weight Gain. Screen time limits your child’s physical activity and could be a factor in weight gain and obesity. Teenagers who used screens more than six hours a day had a higher risk of nighttime eating, unhealthy eating, and inadequate sleep, according to a research study published in Preventing Chronic Disease in 2018.
  • Digital Eyestrain. Your children’s screen habits may increase their risk for developing digital eyestrain. Symptoms include itchy or dry eyes, blurry vision, red eyes, eye fatigue, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
  • Myopia (Nearsightedness). Nearsighted children see near objects clearly, although everything in the distance is a blur. According to researchers, children who don’t spend much time in the sun may be more likely to become nearsighted. A meta-analysis and systematic review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health noted that sun exposure significantly reduced myopia prevalence and incidence in children. According to the meta-analysis, exposure to outdoor light for at least two hours daily was recommended.

How to Reduce Your Child’s Screen Time

These tips can help you lower your child’s screen time:

  • Set Device-Free Times. Schedule an hour or two during the day when the entire family avoids screens or devices except for emergencies.
  • Make Outdoor Activities a Family Priority. Ride bikes with your children, play outdoor games, or participate in outdoor hobbies. Encourage teens to spend time outdoors too. Organized sports aren’t the only options for teenagers. Running, walking, biking, skateboarding, swimming, and other activities give your teen much-needed exercise and sun exposure.
  • Enforce Digital Breaks. Ask your older children and teens to take a half-hour break after using screens for two hours. Teaching your kids the 20-20-20 rule can help them avoid eyestrain and headaches when using screens. After viewing screens for 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds.
  • End Screen Time Well Before Bedtime. Make a rule that screens must be turned off two hours before bedtime. It may be easier to resist temptation if TVs are only in common areas, like living and family rooms.

Setting screen limits, in addition to scheduling regular eye exams, can help you protect your child’s vision. Is your child due for an exam? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the eye doctor.

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How Your Optometrist Can Help with Myopia Control

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Can Your Optometrist Help You Control Myopia (Nearsightedness)?

Wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses helps you see better if you have myopia, but won’t prevent your nearsightedness from worsening. If you or a member of your family are nearsighted, your optometrist offers several treatment options that could slow the progression of myopia. Current options include:

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Atropine Eye Drops

Using prescription atropine eye drops may slow the rate of myopia progression. The drops relax the ciliary muscles that change the shape of the lens inside your eye and the size of your pupils.

The lens is a clear, flexible disc inside the eye that focuses light on the retina, a layer of cells at the back of the eye that converts light into electrical signals. The ciliary muscles relax or tighten to alter the shape of the lens as you look at a near object or shift your focus to something in the distance. These changes ensure that light is focused at the exact point on the retina needed for sharp vision.

Atropine eye drops are usually used before you go to sleep. Although the drops slow the progression of myopia, they can’t cure it. According to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care in 2022, atropine drops offer an effective way to slow the progression of myopia in children.

Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology, commonly called ortho-k, involves reshaping a person’s corneas by wearing special contact lenses overnight. The cornea, the clear tissue covering the iris and pupil, refracts light as it enters the eye. Ortho-k lenses flatten the cornea, which helps improve the focus of light on the retina.

You’ll remove the contact lenses every morning and enjoy sharp, clear vision during the day. Ortho-k contact lenses must be worn every night to maintain vision results in adults and children. The lenses don’t offer immediately results, but do slowly improve vision over several weeks.

Ortho-k not only reduces reliance on eyeglasses but may also keep myopia under control. A literature review published in Ophthalmology in 2019 noted that ortho-k was effective in slowing myopic progression in children and teens and was most beneficial when started between ages 6 – 8.

Multifocal Lenses

Soft multifocal contact lenses contain several lens powers in one lens, allowing them to provide good near, far, and intermediate vision. The center part of multifocal contact lenses keeps near vision sharp while the outer rings improve intermediate and far vision. The outer rings increase focusing power and keep peripheral light rays focused in front of the retina. According to the National Institutes of Health, focusing light in front of retina slows eye growth in animal studies.

Wearing multifocal lenses slowed myopia progression and eye growth in children aged 7-11 during a three-year study funded by the National Eye Institute.

Multifocal eyeglass lenses could offer the same vision advantages as contact lenses and can be a good option for people who aren’t comfortable inserting contact lenses.

Research studies thus far on myopia control have focused on the benefits for children and teens. Although atropine, ortho-k and multifocal lenses haven’t been extensively studied in adults yet, that doesn’t mean that these options won’t also slow myopia in adults. In fact, they may be a good option if you’d like to keep your nearsightedness from getting worse. Your eye doctor can help you decide which option is best for you or your child.

Would you like to find out if atropine, ortho-k or multifocal lenses could keep your myopia under control? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.

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The Benefits of Orthokeratology (Ortho-k)

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The Benefits of Orthokeratology

Would you like to see clearly without wearing contact lenses or eyeglasses but don’t want to have refractive eye surgery? Orthokeratology, commonly called ortho-k, may offer the perfect option for you.

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What Is Orthokeratology?

Orthokeratology involves wearing special contact lenses at night that flatten your dome-shaped cornea. In addition to protecting your inner eye from debris, your cornea focuses light onto your retina. As light enters the eye, the cornea bends it to ensure that it’s focused directly on the retina.

Ortho-k is most often used to treat myopia (nearsightedness). If you’re nearsighted, light doesn’t quite reach the retina inside your eyes, which makes everything you see in the distance look blurry. Flattening the cornea with orthokeratology corrects this issue. In some cases, Orthokeratology can also be used to treat astigmatism and hyperopia (farsightedness).

When you take out your gas-permeable lenses in the morning, your cornea will retain the shape of the lens, allowing you to see well without glasses or contact lenses. Initially, you’ll wear a series of temporary contact lenses that will gradually flatten your corneas over several weeks. Once your optometrist is satisfied with your progress, you’ll wear the same pair of contact lenses every night. You’ll need to wear the contact lenses every night to maintain your results.

Orthokeratology Advantages

Ortho-k offers several benefits, including:

  • Excellent Vision. Ortho-k offers clear, crisp vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that it may take two weeks or longer to achieve sharp vision when you first start wearing the lenses at night.
  • A More Practical Solution. Forget about constantly cleaning your glasses or using rewetting drops to keep your contact lenses comfortable. When you opt for ortho-k, you won’t have to keep an eyeglass case or contact lens supplies with you during the day.
  • More Comfortable Eyes. Do you constantly remove your contact lenses because a speck of dirt or dust has found its way under your contact lens? When you only wear lenses at night, you won’t have to worry about contact lens discomfort in dusty or windy conditions.
  • Better Sports Experience. Imagine playing sports without worrying about damage to your glasses or the discomfort of a piece of debris under your contact lenses. Sports goggles and safety glasses also fit better when you don’t have to wear them over a pair of eyeglasses.
  • Slower Progression of Myopia in Children and Teens. Myopia tends to get worse as your child gets older. If nearsightedness becomes severe, your child may be more likely to develop other eye problems, like cataracts, retinal detachment, and glaucoma. Orthokeratology could prevent myopia from progressing too quickly, according to several research studies. A literature review published in Ophthalmology noted that orthokeratology may help slow nearsightedness and is most effective if it’s begun when children are 6 to 8 years old.
  • No More Worries About Your Glasses. You’ll no longer need to worry about misplacing your eyeglasses, losing them, or forgetting them when you travel if you correct your vision with ortho-k. There’s also no need for frequent eyeglass adjustments. Broken glasses are a definite possibility when you have active children. With orthokeratology, your kids can play without worrying that a stray ball or fall in the playground will damage their glasses.
  • Reversible Results. If you ever decide that you don’t want to continue with orthokeratology, you’ll simply stop wearing the lenses. Orthokeratology won’t permanently change your eyes or cause scars or damage.

Would you like to find out if orthokeratology is the ideal solution for your vision issues? Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

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