What causes myopia in children?
Having parents with myopia (having one or two myopic parents increases the risk of the child developing myopia), ethnicity, and environment all play a role in the development of myopia in kids. Children who spend more time on near activities including reading and devices like a phone, tablet, or computer are more likely to develop myopia. Children who become myopic also tend to spend less time outdoors. Certain eye teaming and focusing issues can also increase myopia progression.
How can I keep my child’s nearsightedness from progressing?
Glasses and traditional contact lenses compensate for your child’s blurry distance vision, but they don’t stop or slow your child’s vision from continuing to deteriorate. The goal of myopia management is to slow the progression of myopia to reduce its impact on your child’s life.
We recommend the safest and most effective options, which include:
- Multifocal soft contact lenses
- Orthokeratology “ortho-k” corneal reshaping lenses
- Vision Therapy (if certain focusing and eye teaming deficits are driving the myopia)
- Prescription low-dose atropine eye drops
Call us at (425) 276-0388 to schedule an appointment so that we can evaluate your child’s vision and make a customized treatment plan to slow or even stop their myopia progression.