What is Myopia or Progressive Myopia?

• Myopia is also known as nearsightedness, a condition in which distance vision appears blurry compared to your clearer near vision. Myopia that occurs at a young age and progresses over time can result in a high nearsighted prescription usually due to excessive lengthening of the eye.

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What is Myopia control?

• Studies show that certain interventions can help slow progression of a child's nearsightedness.

• At Eisel Vision Clinic we offer one form of myopia control, which is a multi-focal soft contact lens approved for all ages.

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Why attempt to control myopia instead of just updating to a higher glasses prescription?

• ​If the nearsighted prescription progresses enough, patients become heavily reliant on their glasses or contact lenses, and will need to routinely update their prescription. Eventually, the best quality of vision may be difficult to achieve with glasses due to the changes in optics and higher thickness of the lenses.

• As the eye continues to lengthen with high myopic prescriptions, the patient may be at risk for eye health complications due to stretching of the retinal tissue lining the inside of the eye. This stretching results in increased risk for development of holes or tears in the retina or even a retinal detachment in severe cases.

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How does Myopia control work?

• Myopia control does not reverse nearsightedness, but it aims to slow the worsening of the prescription.

• The NaturalVue daily multifocal contact lenses we fit at Scullion Vision Clinic work by correcting the distance prescription and blurring the far periphery of the lens. This design does not reduce visual acuity, but it helps reduce the process of eye lengthening.

• Case Series Analysis of Myopic Progression Control With a Un... : Eye & Contact Lens (lww.com)

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Who is a good candidate for myopia control?

• Children who have needed consistent increases in their nearsighted prescription at their annual eye exam

• Children whose parent(s) have high nearsightedness with gradual progression.

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How can I reduce progression of myopia without using myopia control?

• Reducing screen time at near and spending more time outside.

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Sources:

Myopia Control in Children - American Academy of Ophthalmology (aao.org)

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Cooper, Jeffrey M.S., O.D.; O'Connor, Brett O.D.; Watanabe, Ronald O.D.; Fuerst, Randall O.D.; Berger, Sharon O.D.; Eisenberg, Nadine O.D.; Dillehay, Sally M. Ed.D., O.D. Case Series Analysis of Myopic Progression Control With a Unique Extended Depth of Focus Multifocal Contact Lens, Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice: September 2018 - Volume 44 - Issue 5 - p e16-e24 doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000440

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