If your child is struggling with myopia, whether they’ve just been diagnosed or have been squinting for months, eye care experts Sylwia Szewczyk, OD, and Małgorzata Zolnierzow, OD, at Ideal Family Eye Care, LTD Sylwia Szewczyk, OD & Associates in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago have an excellent solution. Orthokeratology (ortho-k) is a powerful and highly effective tool for myopia control in children. Use the online scheduling tool or call the office to learn more today.
What You Need to Know About Myopia Control in Children
If you or someone you love has myopia, you’re not alone. Also, sometimes referred to as nearsightedness, myopia is extremely common. Approximately a third of adult Americans have it and require some form of corrective treatment. Myopia is also increasingly common in children with roughly 65 percent of them requiring glasses. Understanding myopia control is an important part of modern parenting and professional optometry care from Ideal Family Eye Care of Chicago can help.
What Is Myopia and Why Is It Common in Children?
When the eyeball is too long as related to the combined ability of the lens and cornea to focus, myopia is the result. In some cases, it may also occur if the cornea, the lens, or both have too severe a curvature relative to the length of the eyeball.
Most myopic people first develop the condition as children when the eyes are still developing and growing. Some people eventually grow out of it, but others remain myopic their entire lives with the condition progressing with age.
Genetics has always played a role in the likelihood of a given child developing myopia, but it’s not the reason why nearsightedness is on the rise in young people to the extent that it is. Optometry experts believe rising statistics are the result of increased use of devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, and other similar devices.
Orthokeratology Can Be an Effective Solution
At Ideal Family Eye Care we are excited to bring solutions to those parents who are concerned about their children progressing vision. Is MYOPIA epidemic? 65% of children must wear glasses, which can affect their ability to stay active not to mention increased risk for retinal detachment and glaucoma later with age. This alarming observation is most likely attributed to increase use of hand-held devices such as iPads, cell phones or computers. Supportive studies and research proves that NIGHT TIME VISION THERAPY known as Orthokeratology can drastically slow down Myopia progression. Most of those children who wore those lenses for 10 years progressed no more than 0.5 diopter.
What is Ortho-K?
Ortho-K is shorthand for orthokeratology. Ortho-K is an FDA approved vision correction therapy by using a specially designed retainer contact lens that gently reshapes the curvature of the eye to improve vision. This is a revolutionary non-surgical procedure that eliminates the need for glasses or daytime contact lenses. Patients who want to improve their eyesight and who are found to be good candidates for Ortho-K are fitted with custom contact lenses that are worn at night while sleeping. You just put the specially fitted lenses in at bedtime, and when you awake, you will have clear, sharp, natural vision for your waking hours.
You can think of orthokeratology like orthodontics. It’s somewhat like wearing braces for the eyes, but very gentle braces in the form of specially designed lenses. Just as an orthodontist adjusts braces to straighten teeth, your orthokeratologist will use custom fabricated contact lenses to reshape your eyes until they have reached an optimum vision correction shape. Ortho-K means better vision. Better vision overnight. It is ideal for active people who want freedom from wearing glasses or daytime contact lenses – without undergoing surgery. It is also ideal for children with myopia, also called nearsightedness. It is also a great alternative to LASIK for those who don’t want the risk or are not ready for surgery.
Myopia Control Tips Every Parent Should Consider
It’s important not to simply assume myopia is something your child is stuck with. It’s possible to control it and lower the likelihood of it getting worse when you take proper action. Here’s what you can do to help manage your child’s myopia and safeguard the integrity of their vision.
Limit Screen Time
Lifestyle is the number one factor when it comes to the development and worsening of myopia in children, so put limits on your child’s combined daily screen time. There’s also some evidence that light levels may play a role in myopia progression and vision development in children, so send them outside to play when possible.
Seek Optometry Care
Eyecare plays an important role in your child’s ongoing health, so be sure to keep your appointments with your family optometry specialist. He or she can help you with ongoing myopia control, as well as monitor your child’s vision going forward.
Chicago Myopia Control Solutions You Can Trust
Of course, location is vitally important when it comes to any sort of ongoing medical care. If you’re in Chicago or the surrounding areas, Ideal Family Eye Care can diagnose, treat, and manage your child’s vision health, both now and in the future. Make an appointment today!