Myopia Management

Myopia is an extremely common eye condition in children, with nearly 40 percent developing it before the age of 17. Children with myopia struggle to focus their eyes to see objects at a distance clearly, such as the teacher’s writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard. While most people with myopia develop it in childhood, some do not receive a diagnosis until adulthood.

WHAT CAUSES MYOPIA?

Each human eye contains a cornea with a lens in the center that normally allows people to see things close and far away. The cornea is the opening in the center of the eye surrounded by the iris and the pupil. The iris is the colored portion of the eye and the pupil is the black portion that dilates in response to light.

When myopia is present, the cornea or lens of the eye has too much of a curve or the eye itself is too long. Focusing on objects directly in front of them is automatic, but children and adults with this condition perceive objects further away as blurry. The good news is that the condition is easy to correct with a prescription for new glasses or contact lenses. Myopia management in Red Bank, NJ is just one of the services we offer at Bright Eyes Optometry.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF MYOPIA

Myopia tends to develop gradually over time. Please schedule an appointment for an eye exam with Bright Eye Optometry if you or your child develop any of the following problems or risk factors:

• Developing cataracts at an early age
• A previous diagnosis of diabetes
• Increased difficulty with seeing clearly at night or in the dark
• Eye fatigue at the end of each day
• Squinting to see words and objects clearly when looking at the chalkboard or whiteboard at school or when watching TV
• Holding books only a few inches away from the eyes when reading
• Sitting closer to the TV or computer screen than other people do

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH MYOPIA MANAGEMENT

The first step in correcting myopia is to complete an eye exam with us. The exam includes the typical test of reading letters of various sizes on a board across the room if the patient is able to read. Diagnosis of myopia also includes shining a retinoscopy into each eye to gauge the patient’s reaction to light. If pupils do not dilate correctly, our optometrists will include correction for this condition as well as farsightedness when writing a new prescription.

A struggle to easily switch between activities that require close vision and those that require distant vision is a clear indication of myopia. Our optometrists test the patient’s eyes for signs of struggle with this activity during the initial exam and after receiving the new eyeglasses or contact lenses.

PREVENT SERIOUS OUTCOMES WITH MYOPIA MANAGEMENT

Myopia is treatable when detected and treated early. Unfortunately, it can cause significant vision loss and increase the possibility of developing a serious eye condition like cataracts, glaucoma, or retinal detachment. We encourage you to request an appointment with Bright Eye Optometry at the first indication of difficulty with distant vision.