Myopia control is available for many kids who have myopia. Myopia is another name for nearsightedness and it's incredibly common in people of all ages. You need to have your child see an eye doctor for a regular eye exam each year. This ensures that they have a current vision prescription. If it has been a while since your child’s last eye exam and you live in or around Meridian, contact Meridian Ophthalmic Associates to book an appointment with Dr. Moore and Dr. Goodman.
Atropine Drops
Atropine is a commonly used medicated eye drop that has various purposes. It is used to dilate the eyes during certain eye exams and it's used for myopia control
in children. These drops can create a type of myopia control that can slow or stop myopia from progressing. Once a child has myopia, it virtually always progresses quickly.
When atropine drops are used consistently for myopia control, they can keep it from getting as bad as it would on its own. Atropine drops can be tricky, though, and it may take some time to get the dosage right for each unique person. The drops are administered to the eyes of the child every night when it's bedtime. With consistent use, they can make a big difference in a child's vision, though they can't reverse myopia.
Ortho-K
Ortho-K contact lenses are a special type of lens that is made for both vision correction and myopia control. These contacts are only worn at night as the patient is sleeping. When they are worn every night, they can accomplish two goals. The first is vision correction. Wearing them each night changes the shape of your eyeballs enough so that there is no need for glasses the next day.
Many adults use ortho-k contacts for this very purpose, but many children also want this as their vision correction. The second purpose it has is to slow or stop myopia progression. As with atropine drops, it can keep a child's eyes from getting more myopic as time goes on. This means that by the time the child is an adult and their vision becomes more stable, they will see better than if they didn't use their ortho-k contacts in childhood.
Schedule Your Next Eye Care Appointment
If you are interested in myopia control for your child, they need to see an eye doctor to discuss the available options. Call Meridian Ophthalmic Associates today at (601) 483-2616 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.
