The American Academy of Ophthalmology recognizes the fast-growing number of myopia cases in the country and the rest of the world. Routine eye exams can catch and treat this eye condition early. Although myopia starts during childhood, it carries over to adulthood. If you or family members are suffering from this ailment, here’s what you should know about the available treatments for myopia.
 

Ortho-K

Also known as corneal refractive therapy or orthokeratology, ortho-K is a type of myopia therapy. It uses special contact lenses that can change the shape of your cornea. This results in the reduction of eye irregularities that result in nearsightedness. Your eye specialist will tell you to wear your ortho-K contact lenses while you sleep. You can then take them off when you wake up. This results in clearer vision, which lasts the entire day. The contact lenses compress your cornea and flatten it. It then alters the way light focuses inside your eye.
 

Multifocal Eyeglasses

These eyeglasses are like bifocal ones, but instead of just two, it has three lens powers to treat myopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Experts say that these glasses are better than bifocals because there are no clear separations among the different lens powers. The invisible partitions create a smoother appearance.
 

Atropine Drops

Eye doctors use these eye drops on their patients before their eye examinations. Atropine eye drops relax your focus center and dilate your pupil. They delay the progress of myopia as well. Specialists use atropine drops on children as a non-invasive treatment for early signs of nearsightedness. They are cautious in using these drops because they can trigger allergies in some patients. That is why many eye care providers perform an allergy test first before approving the use of atropine eye drops for myopia management.
 

Distance-Center Multifocal Contacts

These are soft contact lenses that can delay myopia progression. Eye doctors use them on eight-year-old patients without complications at all. This type of lens technology enables adults and children to engage in high-energy activities such as sports. You don’t have to worry about your contact lenses falling out when you wear distance-center multifocal contacts.
 

Surgery

This is a permanent solution for you if you have severe myopia or if you don’t want to wear eyeglasses at all. Laser surgery involves using a strong light beam to reshape your cornea. It helps adjust how your eye focuses light. Blurry images become clear after you recover from this surgery. Laser eye surgery is painless, and the procedure lasts for only 10 minutes for each eye. You can expect to go back to your usual activities only after at least a day. Expect to experience dry eyes or blurry vision after the procedure. With follow-up routine eye exams, your eye doctor can ensure the proper healing.
 

Early detection of myopia results in early treatment. At City Eyes Optometry Center, we always encourage our patients to adhere to their routine eye exams to maintain their eye and vision health. Please visit our clinic in Sherman Oaks, California, for a one-on-one consultation. You can also call us at 818-960-1300 if you want to schedule an appointment or ask questions about our myopia management packages.