Myopia is a vision issue in which the child cannot see clearly far away, but they don’t have problems seeing things close up. It’s usually noticed when the child is around 9 or 10 years old, but it can develop sooner than that.
Some signs your child may be nearsighted or have vision issues are: squinting, headaches, frequent eye rubbing, closing an eye to read, bringing books/devices close to the face, and complaining of eyestrain. If you notice any of these signs, we recommend coming in for an eye exam as soon as possible.
Myopia treatment can often slow the rapid progression of your child's nearsightedness, meaning your child's vision doesn't worsen rapidly over time.
Not only that, but getting myopia treatment for your child right away can reduce their risk of developing other conditions such as retinal tear/detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma, or even cataracts.
It’s important for us to make sure we recommend the best treatment for your child’s condition. There are several types of treatment options available for myopia, but we won’t know which one is best until after the first visit where we can perform a few tests.
In any case, our treatment options are safe and can help your child better manage the condition. Here are our treatment plans:
Your child will receive custom-made contacts they will need to wear overnight only. Similar to wearing braces, the lenses will gently reshape the cornea and allow clear vision the following day.
These are special daytime lenses, often called dual focus/multifocal lenses, which help the eye focus and lead to clearer vision. When worn daily, these lenses can reduce the progression of myopia.
Contacts might not always be the best solution for myopia in children. But at Pediatric Eyes and Smiles, we also offer an eye drop option that can help slow the rapid deterioration in your child's vision during their growth spurts.
Unfortunately, myopia doesn’t have a cure, but the right treatment plan can slow down the progression of the symptoms tremendously and ensure your child still leads a happy and healthy life.
Pediatric Eyes and Smiles is extremely concerned about the safety of all the children who come to us. All our recommendations are safe and based on the child’s condition!
