Myopia Control in San Diego

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Focus on Clear Vision

Myopia is the clinical term for nearsightedness. It makes distant objects appear blurry or out of focus while nearby objects remain clear. 

Nearsightedness is one of the most common vision problems in the US, affecting nearly 25% of the country’s population. 

While myopia usually means corrective eyewear is an everyday reality—and gives us an excuse to rock our new glasses—it’s becoming more common and presenting an increased risk to vision and eye health worldwide.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia is a refractive error, meaning it affects the way your eye refracts light. In order to see clearly, light has to land on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. An eye with myopia is either too long, or has a cornea (the clear dome on the outer eye) that’s too steep, so light lands in front of the retina instead.

Since myopia is an error with the way your eye refracts light, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and laser eye surgery are commonly used to correct it. 

Myopia generally begins in childhood, and as children develop it at earlier ages, high myopia is becoming an area of concern. High myopia increases a person’s risk for:

Myopia in Children

Our eyes grow fastest during childhood and slow down during adolescence. Myopia most commonly develops in school-aged children between ages 6 and 12, while the eyes are growing. 

Children who develop myopia around age 6 to 8 have more time for their myopia to progress than those who develop it later. And so younger children with myopia have a greater chance of developing high myopia and all the risks associated with it. 

There’s no known cause of myopia, but several factors are thought to contribute to it: 

  • Genetics
  • Urbanization
  • Increased near work
  • Reduced time spent outdoors

Myopia Control Methods

While there’s no cure for myopia, recent studies show several effective methods of slowing myopia progression. 

Orthokeratology Contact Lenses

Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) uses specialized rigid gas-permeable contact lenses to flatten the cornea, changing how light refracts when it enters the eye.

These lenses are worn overnight and removed in the morning, granting clear vision during the day without glasses or other contacts. But the effect is temporary: if your child stops wearing them, their corneas will return to normal.

A low dose of atropine eye drops used before bed has been proven to slow myopia progression. It’s most effective for children between 8 and 15.

These specialty contact lenses work by creating various areas of focus. The inner circle provides clear distant vision while the outer rings defocus peripheral vision. Blurring this side vision is believed to slow myopia progression.

Support Your Child’s Vision With Myopia Control

If your child has been diagnosed with myopia and you’re curious about the available options, then please book a children’s eye exam today! Our knowledgeable eye care team can answer all your questions and help you choose the best path for your child’s eyesight.

Our Location

We’re conveniently located off Sports Arena Boulevard, right next door to Phil’s BBQ. There’s tons of parking and an accessible stall right in front of our door.

Our Address

  • 3750 Sports Arena Blvd., Suite 9
  • San Diego, CA 92110

Contact Information

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