What Are My Options for Correcting Nearsightedness?

Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, is one of the most common vision problems in the
world—especially among people under the age of 40. Myopia allows you to be able to see objects
nearby with clarity—words on the page of a book, for instance—but will cause difficulty in seeing clearly
across further distances. If you are myopic or nearsighted, you might have trouble reading road signs
from far away, or difficulty reading from a whiteboard or projector screen from the back of a room.

Alarmingly, myopia is becoming even more common: in the year 2000, most studies indicated that the
condition only affected about 25 percent of the global population. Today, most experts predict that half
the people in the world will be myopic by 2050.

Children Dealing with Myopia

If you suspect that you or your child is dealing with myopia, your first step should be to consult an eye
doctor. Especially for children, it’s essential to address myopia symptoms sooner rather than later to
ensure adequate performance in school and extra-curricular activities. While myopia will typically
stabilize at some point in adulthood, it can progress rapidly and alarmingly in children. Myopia
progression is not unheard of in adults, but it is far more common for kids. Unsurprisingly, parents
everywhere are eager to know if there are ways to slow the progression nearsightedness in their
children—if not correct the condition entirely.

The good news is that there are a few options available to slow myopia progression. Given how common
the condition is, eye doctors and vision professionals across the industry have spent years searching for
solutions that correct vision while maximizing patient comfort and quality of life.

What are my Options for Treating Myopia?

The most traditional option available, of course, is glasses. There are eyeglass prescriptions that can
correct distance vision for situations where the patient needs to be able to discern far away objects.
Although glasses can correct vision, they do not slow down the progression of myopia.

Orthokeratology lenses (or ortho-K lenses) are growing in popularity as a myopia treatment and
prevention. Ortho-K lenses are worn at night, during sleep, and gently reshape the cornea. When the
patient wakes up in the morning, he or she can remove the lenses and enjoy clear, myopia-free vision
throughout the entire day. Because of the different curvature zones in these lenses, they safely and
effectively also slow down myopia progression in children.

At Weston Contact Lens Institute, we are experienced in fitting and prescribing ortho-K lenses for
patients with myopia and other refractive errors. We also offer several other treatments for treating
myopia or slowing its progression. These methods include multifocal soft contact lenses (which have
different vision correction “zones” that help slow myopia by essentially “tricking the eye”) and atropine
eyedrops (a medicinal treatment that helps relax the eye to refocus light onto the retina, thus slowing
myopia). Whether you are seeking advice for yourself or your child, you can contact us today to
schedule a consultation with our team.