How to control myopia in your child when there’s only a narrow window of opportunity
You can control your child’s myopia before it progresses to a serious stage if you take the right steps. Brought to you by Essilor.
There is no cure for myopia but its progression can be controlled by the right kind of intervention.
Myopia, or shortsightedness, is a condition that develops in the eye. If left untreated myopia rapidly worsens before stabilising at around the age of twenty when the eye stops growing. That is why parents should be treating it from a young age.
As soon as parents identify it in children, it should be treated immediately.
The first thing parents need to know is that there is no cure for myopia. But the good news is that you can prevent it from further deterioration or slow down its progression by ensuring your child practices some good eye habits such as taking frequent breaks to rest his or her eyes when he or she uses a device or reads a book. Also, try to keep your child busy outdoors as it has been proven that spending 14 hours a week outdoors or more is significantly effective in reducing myopia progression.
Equally important is to get the right spectacles for your child! While getting spectacles will fulfill the immediate need of correcting your child’s vision, most spectacles won’t slow down the progression of myopia. An exception to this rule is Essilor’s Myopilux® lenses.
Learn more about Myopilux® lenses
In a 2-year study of 87 children aged between 7 and 13, it was found that Myopilux® lenses slowed down myopia progression by up to 62%.
Glasses fitted with Myopilux® lenses address the need to correct and manage myopia, by concurrently correcting far vision and reducing strain for near vision. They are superior to single vision lenses, which only correct far vision without reducing the strain on near vision.
Wearers enjoy the smooth transition of vision from long distance to near vision without their vision being obstructed by the distinct line in bifocal lenses.
Another method of treatment that has been used for several years to treat myopia in adults and children is Orthokeratology, also known as Ortho-K. Orthokeratology requires the patient to wear specially designed contact lenses overnight.
The lenses gently reshape the soft tissue of the cornea so that vision is improved upon waking, often eliminating the need to wear spectacles or contact lenses altogether. Vision improvement often occurs after a night of wear, however, some patients may notice it within a few hours.
Optometrists have noticed that their younger patients in particular have benefited greatly from Orthokeratology in terms of slowing down myopia progression.
Before committing to a treatment plan, it is important that your child is examined and evaluated by a qualified optometrist with specialised training in childhood myopia.
You can be sure of whether or not your child has myopia by taking your child to the Myopia Control Centre at W Optics for a deeper understanding of the treatment options available. Act quickly to avoid further progression.
Visit https://www.essilor.com.
Myopilux lenses and Orthokeratology may not be able to address individuals’ conditions due to natural deficiencies, illnesses, pre-existing medical conditions and/or advanced age of consumers. The information contained herein is general information and is not and not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult an eye care professional at W Optics for more information prior to the use of Myopilux or Orthokeratology.
