Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is on the rise in the U.S. and around the world, particularly among children. This eye condition causes close-up objects to appear clear while faraway objects are blurry. While many parents know about myopia, they may not realize the impact it can have on their child’s long-term eye health. If left unmanaged, myopia can increase the risk of developing more serious eye conditions in the future, such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment. If your child has been diagnosed with myopia, orthokeratology (or ortho-k) can help manage your child’s myopia and lower their risk of future eye problems.
What is ortho-k?
Imagine if your child could wake up in the morning, remove a special pair of contact lenses, and see clearly all day without glasses or daytime contacts. That’s exactly what happens with ortho-k! These specially designed lenses gently reshape your child’s cornea overnight, providing clear vision throughout the day. But they do more than correct vision. According to many studies, ortho-k lenses can slow down the worsening of myopia in children and teenagers.
How does ortho-k slow myopia progression?
Myopia in children primarily develops and progresses because their eyes grow faster than they should, leading to blurry vision at a distance. As your child sleeps, ortho-k lenses gently reshape the cornea, changing how light is focused on the retina. Experts believe this altered focus reduces the eye’s tendency to grow longer, which is the main cause of worsening myopia. By controlling this growth, ortho-k can help prevent children from developing severe myopia.
Benefits of ortho-k for children
If you’re thinking about ortho-k for your child, here are some benefits to consider:
- Peace of mind: It’s comforting to know you’re taking proactive steps to manage your child’s myopia and protect their future vision.
- Great for active kids: Active kids who wear glasses or contact lenses may run into difficulties while playing sports or swimming. With ortho-k, your child won’t have to worry about wearing glasses or contacts during the day.
- Say goodbye to glasses: Kids are kids, and it’s common for their glasses to end up damaged or broken. That’s no longer a concern with ortho-k lenses!
- Completely reversible: Unlike surgery, ortho-k is non-invasive and completely reversible! Your child’s cornea will return to its normal shape if they stop wearing the lenses.
- Made for their eyes: Each ortho-k lens is custom-made to fit your child’s eyes perfectly.
When is the right time to start ortho-k for myopia control?
Typically, the ideal time to consider ortho-k for your child is as soon as they are diagnosed with myopia. Younger children tend to experience faster myopia progression, making early intervention crucial. Starting myopia control early can provide more significant benefits in slowing down the worsening of their vision.
At Omaha Primary EyeCare, our highly trained eye doctors provide myopia management services in Elkhorn, Nebraska to slow the progression of nearsightedness and protect your child’s vision and eye health. Our treatment options include ortho-k as well as MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses, which are FDA-approved to slow myopia progression in children ages 8-12 at the start of treatment. Let us help you decide if myopia control is the right option for your child! Give us a call today or schedule an appointment online.
