Myopia Control | La Mesa Optometry

Managing Myopia from a Young Age

Your children’s younger years are crucial for visual development, and myopia is a vision condition that affects nearly 30% of the US population. At La Mesa Optometry, our doctors strive to help control the progression of myopia to help your children see clearly for years to come.

Myopia is a vision condition that makes distant objects appear blurry and often worsens from childhood through adolescence. Our personalized approach to myopia control implements different management methods to preserve your child’s vision.

Contact us to schedule an eye exam for your child and get a head start on halting the progression of myopia today.

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Myopia in the Classroom

Myopia occurs when the eye becomes too elongated, or the cornea has too much curvature, resulting in light entering the eye to focus improperly in front of the retina.

Myopia usually first appears in school-age children and can negatively impact their academic performance in the classroom and their time out exploring with friends. High levels of screen time can also contribute to a higher risk of developing myopia. In today’s world, digital screen usage is more necessary than ever.

Common signs and symptoms of myopia can include:

Sitting too close to the TV
Seeming unaware of distant objects
Excessive blinking or eye rubbing
Eye strain

Keeping an eye out for the early signs of myopia can help you know when it’s time to bring your children in for a comprehensive eye exam. Our team can check for changes in your child’s vision and help them control the progression of myopia.

Our Myopia Control Methods

The first step to myopia control is visiting our team for a comprehensive eye exam. An eye exam allows us to get to the bottom of your child’s visual needs and prepare a personalized myopia control solution.

Atropine Drops

Low-dose atropine eye drops are a treatment method for controlling the progression of childhood myopia. The eye drops are given at night before bedtime, and require consistent use to slow myopia progression.

Studies have shown that low doses of atropine in the form of eye drops can help slow the progression of myopia in children and prevent severe nearsightedness. The dosage we prescribe depends on your child’s vision needs.

Ortho-K Contact Lenses

Orthokeratology, also known as ortho-k, is an excellent option for most patients with mild to moderate myopia (nearsightedness).

Ortho-k lenses can help reduce your dependence on both contact lenses and glasses throughout the day. These lenses are inserted at night and removed in the morning, allowing you to see clearly throughout the day by temporarily reshaping the cornea to improve vision.

MiSight 1 Day Contact Lenses

MiSight 1 day lenses are multifocal contact lenses for kids ages 8–12. The lens design features multiple focusing powers. The technology allows the lens to simultaneously correct blurry distance vision and refocus peripheral light to slow the progression of myopia.

MiSight is the first soft contact lens approved by the FDA and our doctors are certified to prescribe MiSight.

Your Children’s Vision Is in Good Hands

At La Mesa Optometry, we aim to help slow the progression of myopia by implementing different myopia control methods. Myopia control starts from a young age—we recommend consistent eye exams so our team can stay on top of any developing vision issues.

Myopia can interfere with your child’s comfort and productivity—contact us to schedule an eye exam and find out what myopia control method works for your children.

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