Myopia is a condition whereby the eyeball grows longer than usual, front to back, and leads to the development of nearsightedness. Undergoing an eye examination can help you determine if you are myopic or not. There are different types of treatment methods used to control this disease and slow down its progression. The method selected usually depends on the patient’s age and prescription and the type of myopia you are suffering from. Sometimes, the optometrist may advise the patient to combine several methods to achieve maximum impact. Read on to know the three major types of control treatments for myopia.
1. Custom Orthokeratology
This method is also referred to as gentle vision shaping, OrthoK, or corneal reshaping treatment. It involves wearing custom contact lenses to change the shape of your cornea. The technology applies gentle pressure on the cornea’s curvature to flatten it and focus light on the front of the retina.
Custom orthokeratology also stimulates eye growth by adjusting the optimal signals that your eye receives. Myopic patients wear these specially-designed lenses while sleeping and remove them in the morning after waking up. The effects of this control method last all day, meaning that you can have a clear vision without wearing glasses or lenses. Remember to clean and disinfect these overnight lenses carefully.
2. Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses
These specially designed contact lenses control myopic progression by creating multiple focal points on the peripheral retina. It further redirects light and focuses it on your retina. This technology enables them to prevent the eyeballs from growing too long and, at the same time, treat vision issues associated with myopia. Multifocal soft contact lenses have different powers, and your ophthalmologist will help you determine which lenses suit your eyes.
3. Atropine Drops
For many years, eye doctors have made this pharmaceutical agent into an eye drop and used it to treat uveitis and amblyopia, or the lazy eye. Recent research demonstrates that a diluted concentration of atropine can help slow myopia progression in children.
It works by blocking some eye signals and changing the eye’s focusing ability to reduce the speed of axial elongation. To increase this medication’s effectiveness and enhance the myopia control impact, apply it once a day and use it together with bifocal eyeglasses.
In summary, different interventions, such as atropine, Orthokeratology, and multifocal contact lenses, can help to control myopia and prevent it from worsening. Myopic patients should go for regular checkups with their ophthalmologist to diagnose this disease and determine the best control method. The doctors at Evolutionary Eye Care use advanced equipment to examine myopic patients and develop personalized treatment plans.
