Myopia Management
Myopia management is a recommended prescribed treatment for children experiencing, and likely to be affected by, increases in myopia (shortsightedness), ideally starting from 6 to 8 years of age. The treatment program must be strictly followed to ensure the necessary developmental changes occur within the eyes. The treatment does not eliminate myopia, but extensive clinical trials over 7 years show a reduction of myopic increase by approximately 50%.
Factors that affect myopia development in growing children are:
- Genetic, where one or both parents are myopic
- A dramatic increase in screentime
- Use of screen-based devices from a younger age
- Less time spent playing outdoors, where vision is focused on distant objects.
Our recommended method of myopia management is by specially designed daily disposable soft contact lenses. The lenses are worn for at least 10 hours daily (from morning teeth cleaning to evening teeth cleaning!) at least 6 days per week. The use of contact lenses enables easier adherence to the daily wearing schedule, allows children/adolescents to enjoy sports and playing activities, avoids damaging / losing expensive spectacles and ensures the optics of the lenses are always correctly positioned in front of the eyes, with no slipping.
Once the decision has been made to trial the contact lenses, after a regular sight test, OPTIX Opticians will book an appointment to confirm the suitability of contact lenses, take relevant measurements, put contact lenses on the patient’s eyes and train them on handling including insertion and removal themselves.
If all goes well, the patient will be given some trial lenses and return to the practice with them inserted to ensure the fitting is correct and there are no problems.
Please get in touch with OPTIX Opticians for further information and pricing.
